I've got an old stone & sand basement that has fleas really, really bad
from the previous owner (well, her cat). When I first moved in, a 10-second
trip to the basement would mean at least 40 fleas on me by the time I made
it back to the top of the basement stairs. I've tried bug bombs, followed
by the last 9 months with a professional pest service who comes all the
time (I call them every time I go down there because I always have at least
5-10 fleas jump on me). They have tried every chemical they have legal
access to use, but nothing has worked. No pets (or people) use the
basement, right now it is useless space. The pest control service has
expressed some concern about the total amount of pesticide they have
sprayed in the last year- the only reason they haven't stopped altogether
is because the area they are spraying isnt living space.

So now I'm stuck with these invincible fleas. Does anyone know of any
alternative methods I should try? So far I haven't gotten any good ideas,
and the funniest suggestion I've gotten was from a co-worker who suggested
throwing a few dozen cats in the basement as "flea sponges", then carting
the cats out. I'm an animal lover, so I wont take that suggestion seriously
;-) but I am looking for real options...

Thanks,
Keith

Keith wrote in
. 63.158:


I've got an old stone & sand basement that has fleas really, really
bad from the previous owner (well, her cat). When I first moved in, a
10-second trip to the basement would mean at least 40 fleas on me by
the time I made it back to the top of the basement stairs. I've tried
bug bombs, followed by the last 9 months with a professional pest
service who comes all the time (I call them every time I go down there
because I always have at least 5-10 fleas jump on me). They have tried
every chemical they have legal access to use, but nothing has worked.
No pets (or people) use the basement, right now it is useless space.
The pest control service has expressed some concern about the total
amount of pesticide they have sprayed in the last year- the only
reason they haven't stopped altogether is because the area they are
spraying isnt living space.

So now I'm stuck with these invincible fleas. Does anyone know of any
alternative methods I should try? So far I haven't gotten any good
ideas, and the funniest suggestion I've gotten was from a co-worker
who suggested throwing a few dozen cats in the basement as "flea
sponges", then carting the cats out. I'm an animal lover, so I wont
take that suggestion seriously ;-) but I am looking for real
options...

Thanks,
Keith


They now make growth regulators that stop the growth cycle of fleas and
other insects,the sprays last for 6 months or more.The stuff I have is
called Enforcer Flea spray for homes.it cost about $10 at Home Depot.

--
Jim Yanik
jyanik
at
kua.net

Keith writes:

So now I'm stuck with these invincible fleas. Does anyone know of any
alternative methods I should try?

Find something you can apply yourself that is effective. Not just
permethrins. And then violate federal law by multiplying the dose. The
recommended doses on consumer products tend to be minimal, as are the
"professional" products and trade, these days.

I don't know what "bug bombs" you tried, but the Raid fumigators in the
little blue cans are quite effective, and you can multiply those, too.

for a non-chemical approach, get some food-grade diatomaceous earth (aka
DE ), it's a fine powder made of ground up diatomes (aka sea shells).
sprinkle it around, making sure to get into cracks along walls/floorboards.
The DE will nick the exoskeleton and the insects dehydrate and die. it also
works on fire-ants :-)

HTH

--
lynn
"Keith" wrote in message
. 63.158...

I've got an old stone & sand basement that has fleas really, really bad
from the previous owner (well, her cat). When I first moved in, a
10-second
trip to the basement would mean at least 40 fleas on me by the time I made
it back to the top of the basement stairs. I've tried bug bombs, followed
by the last 9 months with a professional pest service who comes all the
time (I call them every time I go down there because I always have at
least
5-10 fleas jump on me). They have tried every chemical they have legal
access to use, but nothing has worked. No pets (or people) use the
basement, right now it is useless space. The pest control service has
expressed some concern about the total amount of pesticide they have
sprayed in the last year- the only reason they haven't stopped altogether
is because the area they are spraying isnt living space.

So now I'm stuck with these invincible fleas. Does anyone know of any
alternative methods I should try? So far I haven't gotten any good ideas,
and the funniest suggestion I've gotten was from a co-worker who suggested
throwing a few dozen cats in the basement as "flea sponges", then carting
the cats out. I'm an animal lover, so I wont take that suggestion
seriously
;-) but I am looking for real options...

Thanks,
Keith

In article 58,
says...
So now I'm stuck with these invincible fleas. Does anyone know of any
alternative methods I should try? So far I haven't gotten any good ideas,
and the funniest suggestion I've gotten was from a co-worker who suggested
throwing a few dozen cats in the basement as "flea sponges", then carting
the cats out. I'm an animal lover, so I wont take that suggestion seriously
;-) but I am looking for real options...



LOL ...sending animals down there treated with frontline may be an
idea... I would guess you still have a host
animal..rats..mice...opossum...many treatments being aerosols or some of
the formulations of liquid treatments will have no long term effect,
growth regulators included. They will soak into the sand floor/stone.
Dusts would be effective, though I wouldn't use Diatomaceous
earth...works real slow. The pros should have access to Drione which is
silica gel, that also is a desiccant, but contains 1% powdered pyrethrin
which is a quick kill. Any liquid treatments used should be either micro
encapsulated products or wettable powders. You can make a "trap" using
a lamp with a pan of water under neath in the light...set the lamp on
the floor away from where you may be at when you go down there and it
might help reduce the numbers you are seeing.
--
Lar

to email....get rid of the BUGS

Keith wrote:
I've got an old stone & sand basement that has fleas really, really bad
from the previous owner (well, her cat). When I first moved in, a 10-second

ANY chance there are mice, rats, squirrels in voids around basement?
Possums, etc., nesting under a porch or in attic? If there are wild
critters bringing them in, it can be a risk of disease. Are you using a
"name brand" pest control company? If so, go up the ladder. They may
be using a product that doesn't kill eggs, and retreatment is needed
after a few days to get newly hatched fleas. Be sure no animals or
nests are present.