Insecticide Resistance in Fleas?
When a flea treatment fails, is it simply a case of needing to re-treat or could insecticide resistance be the underlying cause?
Flea treatments used to be a very common pest control treatment (in the not too distant past), but with the arrival of pet, spot-on flea treatments, flea infestations have become more of an occasional pest problem. However, if you’re unlucky to suffer from a flea infestation, it’s a big issue!
Our great summary article provides a good overview to fleas and flea treatment, covering flea species, identification, life-cycle, diseases and the treatment process. However, it is important to be aware of the level of insecticide resistance in fleas.
Our Pest Pulse market research gives a good overview as to the cost of a flea treatment and what’s involved in a professional flea treatment. Most homeowner that a professional flea treatment requires both the inside and outside of the home to be treated (not just the rooms they are getting bitten). Basically, any area the pet has been, needs to be treated.
Apart from treated all areas around the home, understanding the flea life-cycle and especially the flea larvae can be helpful in designing a successful flea treatment. In particular the inclusion of an insect growth regulatory (IGR) in combination with the insecticide, ensures a longer lasting flea treatment.
End of least pest treatments are compulsory in some states, whether you have a pet or not. For other states it is only required if you have a pet. These treatments are primarily targeted fleas (but will include other pets), to ensure the new tenants have a pest free home when they move in.
The oriental rat flea was found to be the infamous vector of the black death or bubonic plague, which killed millions of people through the middle ages. They transmitted bacterium, Yersina pestis, from rats to humans, which caused the plague. Although bubonic plague is rare (but still present) in some parts of the world, there are a range of other flea diseases.
More information on fleas.
When a flea treatment fails, is it simply a case of needing to re-treat or could insecticide resistance be the underlying cause?
It’s a flea-eat-flea world, and only the toughest survive into adulthood.
Having a thorough understanding of flea biology and knowing how to treat the various life stages is critical for gaining control of problem flea populations.
The combination of lambda-cyhalothrin and a potent IGR results in a product that effectively controls all flea life stages.
Charles McClintock from Sumitomo Chemical Australia gives an informative overview of flea larvae, plus tips for gaining control.
Climatic conditions this year are ideal for fleas, with dogs and cats acting as the ideal hosts during Covid-related lockdowns.
Wendell Arnett from Bayer’s Crop Science Division shares a success story from one of his customers, featuring Suspend Flexx Insecticide and a serious flea infestation.
Treating fleas means breaking the flea life cycle using a targeted IGR that tackles the larvae.
Our latest Pest Pulse survey invited pest managers to tell us about how they perform flea treatments and end-of-lease treatments.
The addition of Sumilarv to any flea treatment will boost the performance, providing long lasting protection and reduce call backs.
Summer is peak flea season – with the warmer temperatures and increased humidity a flea infestation can get quickly out of control. It has long been best practice to incorporate an insect growth regulator with adulticide in any flea treatment. However, new understanding on how Sumilarv impacts the various life stages provides pest managers with new reasons to make Sumilarv the IGR of choice. Find out about these new performance benefits and how they can boost your flea treatments…
Using an IGR with a long-lasting residual is an excellent way to treat fleas, especially a product that tackles all flea life stages.