How do you get rid of fleas in garden?!!

Please please please can someone tell me how you get rid of fleas from a garden. My house has been infested for months during the last two spring/summers. We have spent hundreds of pounds treating the house and nothing works, they keep coming back. I have now come to the conclusion that they are living in the grass, plants, block paving etc. They look like animal fleas and are biting me, my 2 year old and 11 week old baby. I need some advise, any would be greatly welcomed.

 

Only flea that has adapted specifically to Humans is the Badger flea. Are there any Setts in the area?

Oh, Welcome to Gardeners Corner too

 

looks like we have extra fleas this year also. I call them ride alongs. All my cats have their flea drops on them, and no signs of them on their fur or skin area. Was just outside on the deck and there was one on my ankle. This is the first year we have had this issue, -----think it stems from having such a easy winter. Really needed a good bizzard and a long cold spell, that can kill lots of insects, or slow them down. But we only had short bursts of cold and easy snow past winter.

 

You are taking on nature, a formidable enemy, if you have a baby at risk, consider moving house.

 

Yes I thought the weather might be partly to blame. They are definatley the fleas you get on dogs or cats. Not sure if there are any badger sets around, but they look identical to the typical 'Pet' flea.
I am at my wits end with this problem as we keep pouring more money at it and it only seems to get worse. I am desperate for a permanent solution as I can't bear to spend year after year with my children getting bitten!

 

Carly, sorry to seem that I'm doubting you but are you sure they are fleas and not midges?

 

OK I know nothing, that said, I dont think fleas survive long outside without a host.
They can live in your carpets but still need a host from time to time.

Do you have pets?

You need to break the breeding cycle, and you might need expert help .

 

We have no pets and have had this problem since we moved in 2 years ago. I don't know what other help there is, have had pest control out 6 times and they are at a loss for what to do! my guess is that they are living outside and when we go into the gared they are feeding off us and a few are coming into the house and laying eggs in the carpet.
They are defo fleas and not midges as I have found some huge ones and there is no doubting it.

 

How big is huge?

 

Well I put it into a plastic tub and took it to a pet shop and they told me it was really big. Big enough to see the exact body shape and legs without holding it up close.

 

It still sounds to me like the issue is inside. Have you still got carpets down that the previous people left behind, if so I'd be inclined to get rid of them and then treat the house again. Has the house been fumigated or did 'Pest Control' use something else?

It is unlikely that fleas are coming in from the garden and they don't live on humans, so I agree with Pete. I think they have never been cleared from the house completely.

Is it possible for you to get a picture of them and post it here, at least we'll be able to check there identity. I know that's difficult because they are so small, but it would help.

 

Pest control have sprayed the carpet and fogged. Yes they are the same carpets, but if the problem was inside we wouldn't have been able to get rid of them last year. We treated the carpets several times last year and at the end of the summer they disappeared. Then as soon as weathe warmed up this year they came back. Pest control told me that if the problem was inside we would have still had them during the winter due to central heating as us still being there to act as the host. Next time I find one will take a pic.

 

Strange, sounds like a super flea

 

Yep, I know. It sounds unreal, but I assure you it is! Pest control are coming back on wed but I am starting to loose hope. I am just praying that someone will be able to say that they had the same problem and they found a solution!