Fleas

Description

The adult flea is 2-7mm long , i.e tiny, and brownish in colour. Their bodies are compressed from side to side enabling them to move quickly through hairs and they have relatively large hind limbs which are used for jumping. The 3 most common species are: -

•The Cat flea
•The Dog flea
•The Human flea

Distribution

All fleas live exclusively as parasites on warm-blooded animals and although they have a preferred host, normally mammals, both the cat and dog flea can also be found on and feed from other animals and man. As well as being found on the host fleas can frequently be found in the hosts' bedding. Cat fleas are by far the most common accounting for 75% of all flea infestations. The flea population reaches its peak in September and is particular problem in areas of high population density.

Significance

Fleas are known carriers of disease and can also be responsible for the transmission of parasitic worms such as the dog tapeworm. In the UK, however, fleas are not generally responsible for the spread of infection but do inflict on their host unpleasant bites. Flea bites will be seen as a tiny dark red spot surrounded by a reddened area. The bite will remain irritating for 1 or 2 days and in some cases may lead to hypersensitivity.

Lifecycle

Flea eggs are small, oval shaped and pearl white in colour and are laid indiscriminately in the fur or feathers of the host or in its bedding or resting material. The eggs hatch in about one week into white thread like larvae. The larvae thrive in dark, humid places such as carpets and animal bedding.

After 2 or 3 weeks when they are fully-grown the larvae spin a cocoon and pupate. The adult usually emerges within seven weeks but can remain as a pupa throughout the winter only emerging when triggered by the movement of a suitable host. The complete life cycle will normally last four weeks but may take longer at low temperatures.

Control

•By taking simple measures you may be able to control a minor flea infestation yourself:

•Thoroughly clean all infested clothing and bedding.

•Thoroughly clean the infested area by vacuuming carpet edges and soft furnishings and remove all accumulations which may act as a breeding site

Check your pets for fleas and treat if necessary with a proprietary flea powder or flea collar. If you require professional help our Pest Control Contractor will treat your premises with an insecticidal spray. You can help us by clearing furniture away from the boundaries of rooms to be treated and by vacuuming the carpet before we visit.

A single spray treatment of the carpets and soft furnishings will be made and all treated areas should be left undisturbed for 8 to 10 days.

Safety

All pesticides are applied by qualified and experienced contractors to ensure the safety of the public and to minimise damage to the environment.

Description

Wasps are probably the most familiar and generally disliked of all British insects. Their bodies bear the characteristic black and yellow bands and have a narrow waist in the middle of the body. They vary in size from the worker which is 10-15mm in length to the queen which is 20mm long and they have 2 pairs of wings which lock together. The needle-like sting is possessed only by the females and is concealed near the tip of the abdomen.

Distribution

Several species of wasps exist in the UK but the most abundant is the common wasp and German wasp both of which are widely distributed. Both species nest underground or in the cavities of trees, walls and buildings.

Siginificance

Wasps can be a nuisance but are not thought to be responsible for the spread of disease. Although they are generally disliked because of their sting, this will only be used by most species when the wasp is aroused or frightened. Wasps are responsible for causing serious damage to ripened fruit and are generally a nuisance when attracted to sweet smelling foods. Their benefits, however, are not so widely appreciated for in the spring and early summer wasp grubs are fed on other insect pests.

Lifecycle

The queen emerges from the nest in the autumn and after mating selects a suitable site for hibernation. Late in the following spring the hibernation comes to an end and the surviving queens select a nest site. The nest is usually located either in the ground or in roof cavities and is built up from wood pulp which is moulded into the outer shell of the nest and contains many internal chambers. The queen lay an egg in each of the chambers and these hatch into larvae which are fed by the queen on dead insects. When fully grown the larvae pupate and from the pupae sterile workers emerge. These workers assist in rearing the new larvae and the new queens. Towards the end of the summer the queen lays a number of eggs which produce male wasps and these mate with the new queens. As the weather becomes colder, in the autumn, all the wasps die except the new queens which fly away to find hibernation sites. The old nests are not recolonised the following year.

Control

It will only be necessary to treat wasps nests which pose a particular danger to you or your family. Unless such a danger exists the nests should be left undisturbed. Where necessary you can treat wasps nests yourself with care and using a proprietary insecticide. However, if professional help is required our Pest Control contractor can treat the nest with and insecticidal dust A single treatment will usually be sufficient to destroy all the wasps in the nest but should it be necessary to re-treat this will be done free of charge. As old nests are not recolonised, treated nests need not be removed.

Safety

All pesticides are applied by our qualified and experienced staff to ensure the safety of the public and to minimise damage to the environment.

The Common House Fly

The female house fly lays 120-150 eggs at a time and, depending on the temperature, the eggs can hatch into maggots within 8-48 hours.  The maggots then burrow into a food source.  The new fly can emerge any time from four days in the summer months, to several weeks in the cooler weather.  In this country, the earliest flies tend to emerge in May and the greatest numbers are usually found during August and September.

Breeding more or less ceases in October, except in heated premises.  During the winter, the House Fly's cycle is longer.  The flies will breed in suitable indoor places and in decaying animal or vegetable matter, including rubbish heaps and horse manure.

Control

The Common House Fly is best controlled by taking preventative measures at source.  In one example the production, storage and spreading of poultry manure can sometimes be associated with common house fly infestations in nearby residential dwellings.  The Council has worked with other local authorities and the local poultry industry to develop a code of practice for the use of poultry manure.  Although the code is not legally enforceable in its own right, it sets out a proactive statement and best practice.

Throughout the summer of 2005 the Council received a large volume of complaints regarding Common House Fly infestation in resident’s homes.  During the summer of 2006, the Council carried out a Common House Fly Monitoring Programme.

In addition to control house flies in and around the home dustbins should be kept clean and all perishable food should be wrapped up.  Once flies are in the house, fly papers, although unsightly, are effective, as are some of the 'knock down' sprays.

The Cluster Fly

This fly gets its name from its habit of clustering like a swarm of bees.  It is larger than the Common House Fly and can often be identified as it folds its wings over its back - but there are many different species.

The Cluster Fly enters a house during autumn to hibernate and leaves again in spring, often causing a nuisance at these times.  In the autumn, the flies tend to collect on the outside of buildings on warm elevations and later find their way inside to cluster - sometimes in their thousands - in roof spaces, under tiles and in sash windows.

One building in a row, no different from the rest, may be heavily infested and its neighbour completely unaffected.  The Cluster Fly is a parasite of earthworms which are usually readily available in any domestic garden.

Control

To kill the occasional fly, a 'knock down' spray can be effective.  When flies are particularly troublesome, fly strips can be hung up in the roof spaces and any dead flies can be cleared up using a vacuum cleaner. Food should be kept covered at all times to prevent contamination.