Category — Fleas

The top two rectangles are both from the SpringStar, the circle is from the Victor, and last one on the lower right in the plastic bag is from the Enforcer. These glue boards prove a couple of the things: they all catch fleas, and I had a really big problem.

The reason I have two glue boards for the SpringStar is because the one on the left costs over $2, while the one on the right is a Real-Kill Household Pest Glue Board that I cut to fit in the SpringStar and it cost right at $1. Frankly if cash is tight and you don’t have pets, a small night light over a Real-Kill will attract fleas, and anything else with six or more legs.

If you do have pets, you need to have the glue boards in an enclosure. The reason the Enforcer board is in a plastic bag is because I put it in the bag to prevent the cats from getting stuck to it, and it is firmly stuck to the bag. You need mineral spirits to dissolve the glue.

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For years the combination of Frontline Plus and Bengal Flea Killer have kept things under control in my house. The cats were happy and had the run of the house, and I wasn’t getting bit by fleas. That changed this year, as apparently the current fleas are immune to Frontline and Bengal.

My switch to Advantage II appears to have been successful for Excise, so I will apply it to Property in another week. I’m waiting on Property because she was treated with Frontline a little over a week ago and I want that to wear off.

To immediately attack the flea problem I bought three flea traps, one each from: SpringStar, Victor, and Enforcer. All of them work essentially the same way by using a light to attract the fleas that are then stuck on adhesive pads. The good news is that in my house they all work. All of them have managed to trap fleas, a lot of fleas. They each have strengths and weaknesses which I will go into later.

The net result is that my personal ‘bare shin test’ is now resulting in around 10 fleas, instead of the the 50 flea norm two days ago.

I have a recommendation by a neighbor for a spray to replace the Bengal. I will be testing that to see how it works.

The other two flea traps arrived today, so I started the testing at 3PM CST.

I deployed all three, putting them in places that my ‘bare shins’ test [standing in place while wearing shorts] indicates there are infestations.

I’ll leave them in place to see how they do for several days.

One of the local consequences of climate change is that we haven’t had a hard freeze in over three years. While most people would be thinking: “Well, you live in Florida, why would you want a freeze?” Freezes kept down the bugs.

Before when we had a cold front move through it would rain, and then when it cleared out things would freeze, including the wet ground. A freeze would really significantly reduce fleas and fireants. Without the freeze, the numbers just get larger.

This year my favorite flea medication for the cats, Frontline Plus, stopped working. I have been using it for years, so the current fleas are descended from those who are resistant to the chemicals in Frontline.

My house and cats are infested, and I have to plot a course to fight the fleas.

I will switch the cats to Advantage II because the fleas haven’t encountered that one, and I have ordered three different flea traps to see if I can find one that is effective. None of the traps use chemicals, they all essentially use light and heat to attract the fleas that are then stuck on adhesive pads.

I considered removing the cats and bombing the house, but most of the flea bomb use the same chemicals as Frontline, so that won’t work.