The Flea

General

The flea is a wingless insect with a developed mouth structure which can inhibit warm-blooded animals. It has 3 pairs of legs which allow it to move smoothly in hair, fur and feathers, furthermore, its' hind legs are developed for jumping. Due to the strong body structure it is difficult to crush.

The Fleas' Life Cycle

The flea life cycle is composed of 4 stages: eggs, larvae, pupa and adults. Each life cycle can last from two weeks to a month, depending on the type of flea and other characteristics that can affect the life cycle, and can reach up to 8 months.

Only adult fleas feed of other animals, the other stages feed on various organic matter.

The Egg Stage

The eggs are white, 5.0 mm long and cannot be detected with the naked eye. The eggs are laid on the fur of the animals by the females after feeding on the animals' blood. The eggs disperse in the fur/hair where they continue to develop into larvae. The eggs make up about 50% of the entire flea population. The female lays about 20 eggs per day and about 600 during her lifetime. The period of hatching of eggs until larval development can last up to 28 days and depends on the heat and humidity of the environment

The Larva Stage

The larvae are eyeless, hide from light, have no wings, and do not suck blood. They are usually found in hot, dark and humid environments. They are about 2-5 mm long, and undergo 3 stages of development that can last from a week to several months. The larvae feed on adult flea excrement, dead skin cells, hair, feathers, and various organic residues.

The Pupa Stage

The pupa develops inside a cocoon (similar to silkworms) and is covered with camouflage material. Within 10-5 days the pupa becomes an adult flea, however, the adults do not leave the cocoon without environmental stimuli such as: Air movement, movement of pets or humans. Inside the pupa the adults can survive up to 9 months. It is important to note that at this stage they are resistant to pesticides intended for environmental treatment. Therefore these substances will have no effect on the adult fleas that appear long after the use of pesticides in the environment

The Adult Stage

The adult flea Survives or lays eggs after a blood meal. Especially two days after the first meal, The female lays its' eggs. Pass easily between animals in the environment by jumping.

The Problem With Fleas

The flea problem is well known in cattle farms in Israel and around the world. With an understanding of the problem, the problem can be treated to almost zero infestations. In light of the understanding of the life cycle of the flea, the pesticide should be integrated, and based on their extermination on the infested animals and the environment. In addition, a household with a high level of cleanliness and care of the animals must be maintained in order to achieve maximum pest control results.

A recommendation for extermination

Preemptive treatment

It is advisable to start treatments with IGR-containing remedies before the start of the hot season.

When to begin?

The months of March/April are recommended to start pest control operations (the beginning of spring).

Treating The Pen

• Remove the pen lining (then burn/bury it) and burn the pen floor&fences with a blowtorch up to 1 meter high.
• Spray the torched floor&fences with pesticides up to 1 meter high.
• Only spray the pen floor with IGR materials.
• After 6 hours spread a 2-3 mm thick layer of lime.
• Repeat the treatment 2 times, 7-10 days between treatments.

Treating The Animals

• Treat adult animals with a back/motor sprayer until drenched.
• Treat lambs by soaking them in a safe pesticide.
• repeat the treatment after 7-10 days.