Fleas in garden?

Hello

I'm new to this Forum and pretty much to gardening! We have just moved into a new house which annoyingly is infested with fleas. We've had a spray treatment done by a pest control company but I'm sure I've seen fleas in the garden too and wondered if it can be possible that there are some living out there? The pest control company had never heard of garden fleas but I swear they look exactly like what we've had in the house. I am worried that my children will go out to play and bring them into the house and then we'll be back to square one again with trying to get them out of the carpets. Anybody got any ideas?

THanks

Helen

 

Hi Helen
Welcome to the Forum

I supose fleas do live outside but they need a host to feed on did the pest people tell you which ones you had in your house , cat , dog , human theirs a flea for everyone. (sounds like cat flea's)

I woudnt worry as long as you hoover regulary it woudnt be a problem and I can recomend this as I used to work in hotels and we had regular visits from the pest people for various things over the years ooooohhhh makes me remember

You can get a flea beettle that lives outside but that eats plants so relax, I can try and understand how you feel , but your problem should all be sorted out by now, have you any pets ???

Plus new garden :D:D:D much nicer to talk about


Spruce

 

Human and Badger fleas are the same. We didn't have a specific flea when we were hunter gatherers as we didn't stay in the same bedding long enough for them to complete their life cycle.

Badger Fleas adapted to us when we settled down as farmers.

Flea eggs will stay dormant until woken by vibration, so even if a house has been empty for a while, once you start stomping round in it, they'll all hatch at once.

 

Thanks! No we don't have a pet but the previous owners had a cat. Plus there are foxes roaming around judging by the "messages" on the lawn. I am hoping that once we've got all the garden cut back it won't be so much of a haven for pesties anyway as it was a little unloved, shall we say, when we moved in.

Unfortunately because we don't have a pet the fleas are biting us instead and I seem to be their favourite flavour of human - so until they go I'm keeping all my clothes tucked in and socks pulled up to my knees which is a really good look.

But still it is really exciting to have a new garden to play with!

 

Fleas eggs live in nature and are brought indoors for example by shoes or cat paws.
Eggs can live for years without getting any food.
Why do we notice fleas more when we have a cat? Because they live in warm and humid environment so if you have a cat that is just the ideal accomodation for them and they will develop immediately.
As another ideal accomodation is if they ever get the chance to live and reproduce where a human seats/lie regularly (sofa or bed).
I personally found the flea problem unbearable when I had a cat, no matter how many times I would bath him. I also think it is not fair to bath a cat but what about him spread the fleas all over the house and being in agony when they bite him?
To date, I haven't got a solution to the problem but then again I am not getting any cat soon.
Good luck for those with cats!

 

For 3 months last summer my 2 cats were plagued by fleas - never before and not since but .... they used to spend a lot of time in an area where 2 other cats aswell as foxes did too and it's got to have been them that caused the cycle.
By using a cat flea killer i solved the problem and it's not recurred this year, presumably because the other animals are either treated now or not going into the area as much.

The fleas were in the house and on us and i can understand your angst perfectly, let's hope that the treatment you've had - and possibly one more - solves the problem for you.
My neighbour had her house 'bombed' (flea treatment) because she has a Westie and it had brought them into her house too .... it worked there, so yours will too.

 

Thanks Louise - it's really reassuring to hear someone has had the same problem and solved it!

 

We activated a flea infestation when we moved into a housing association house. It didn't last long, the fleas couldn't feed off us so died out within a few weeks. Don't remember using anything but the hoover.

 

Do you know if there is anything I can spray in the garden to get rid of them? My daughter just went out to play and brought one in on her sock so they are definitely living in the grass, weird as it sounds. I suppose when the foxes come in at night the fleas must be jumping into the grass and laying eggs there. It's been nearly six weeks now and I am reaching the end of my tether!