Went to the store today, big box of moth balls [no, not that type] $2.50. Buy some.
Fleas? Get a pie pan of soapy water, put a light above it, at night fleas, jump at that light & do a Mark Spitz.
Once again, handy has come up with a great solution for dealing with the symptoms and not the actual problem.
First of all, you may get quite a few fleas that way, but certainly not all. Second, this does nothing for the eggs that have not hatched yet, and creates a ticking time bomb of fleas that will eventually re-infest your home.
I’m not aware of over-the-counter flea sprays for home and office use. In this regard, it’s something of a drawback being licensed and certified. I have stuff available to me that the average joe (or lynn, as the case may be) cannot get their hands on.
The trick is finding something that will eradicate the adult guys and do something about the eggs.
Flea eggs are tricky, since there really isn’t any specific gestation period. In the wild, they may lie dormant on a leaf or in some moss for quite awhile until a host animal brushes by and picks it up. Then the warmth and vibration of the living animal triggers the egg to hatch.
For this reason, pre-emergent flea products have been developed. They contain the insect growth regulator methophrene, which is based on flea growth hormones. It’s good stuff, but again, I’m unaware of generally available products containing methoprene.
The standard method I use in indoor flea control is to have the homeowner vacuum every floor in the house, whether carpeted or not, then discard the vacuum cleaner bag. This not only sucks up a good portion of fleas and eggs, but stimulates the unhatched eggs to make them hatch.
Then, using a mixture containing a liquid residual pesticide and methoprene, I fan spray all the floors, covering them completely, even going a little ways up the baseboards. In areas where there are pet beds and furniture that the pets like to lounge on, I may also do those cushions.
I insist that the house be completely vacated while I’m treating, and I wear a respiratory filter while I treat. The house must remain vacant for at least four hours. When it can be inhabited again, the homeowner must vacuum all the floors again and discard the bag.
A follow-up service, following the above steps, is often required in two to four weeks.
Drastic? Yep. But this is war and fleas are tenacious and have excellent survival skills.
I’ll try doing a search to see if I can find anything on methoprene and its availability. It may be a registered pesticide, though, and only available to licensed technicians. Keep in mind, too, that every state has the option to ban pesticides, so I don’t know what’s available in Texas.
P.S. Lynn, if you put the stuff in the freezer immediately after opening the package (or even before) the chances are you haven’t even given the moths a chance to lay eggs in it.
I found it pretty easily, and it seems to have info not just on products, but on application techniques. I skimmed it briefly, and it seems pretty good.
My pantry has been infested with moths for 2 years despite my herculean efforts to get rid of them. I took everything out, inspected each package for larvae, and plasticized everything. Twice. Threw away half my freaking closet. Kept nothing but canned goods. I cloroxed every shelf and each wall, including the ceiling. I put little moth bags on each shelf. I Raided the corners of the ceiling where they put their little moth nursery, complete with ladybug mobiles.
They’d go away for awhile, then return.
They are still here. Everytime I open the pantry, there’s one fluttering around. I hate them and when I go to hell I have no doubt they will bet there, tormenting me.
It all started with a box of Bisquick and a $1 off coupon.
I have no advice, but I do sympathize.