Nick asked 8 years ago
Please help. We live in an old raised home with hardwood floors. For two months we have had the house and yard professionally treated every two weeks and I have been vacuuming every other day. Noticed the exterminator is using precor 2000. We are still seeing fleas, even in car. I have tried ultracide too. We have sealed beneath home so that stray cats can not go underneath and I have treated my car. We have no pets. I see no end in sight. Please help me. We have two babies getting it and being exposed to chemicals. It seems every two weeks we see new fleas. I even threw out the area rug in my children\’s bedroom.
Adam Retzer Staff answered 8 years ago
Nick, sorry to hear about your problem.
If you don’t have pets, then most likely the fleas you’re seeing aren’t cat fleas (C. felis), unless stray cats or urban wildlife are living around your home and serving as the primary host. Moving into a new home, where the previous tenant’s pets had fleas, can also result in the new owner having to deal with the pests.
It sounds like you may be dealing with human fleas (P. irritans). Unfortunately, FleaScience is focused on cat fleas, which are the most common species of dogs and cats. Human fleas are more rare, and my knowledge is lacking.
Precor 2000 and Ultracide are both good sprays to use. The most effective ingredient is the insect growth regulator, which will prevent eggs and larvae in the environment from reaching adulthood, and is active for 7 months. Vacuuming is also crucial in flea control, which you’re already doing.
It usually takes around 8 weeks after treatment before infestations completely end. All the pupae and pre-emerged adults living in the environment need to emerge and die, as they’re largely unaffected by insecticides.
The fleas in the car should die soon, because of the winter weather. No life stage can survive in near-freezing temperatures. Vacuuming the interiors will also help speed up their extinction there.
Without pets, and the species possibly not being cat fleas, I’m afraid I don’t have much more advice. You’re taking effective steps to end an infestation. You may need to rely on the exteriminator again. If he/she comes again, be sure to have them positively identify the species of flea, as it will be helpful to know for control.
Sorry I couldn’t help more,
Adam
