| Flea Facts |
INTRODUCTION: Fleas are one of the more important groups of insect pests because they not only cause discomfort by biting, but they can transmit several diseases such as plague and murine typhus. Cat fleas are found throughout the United States and the rest of the world. RECOGNITION: Adults about 1/8" (2.5 mm) long. Body laterally flattened (side to side); wingless. Color brownish black to black, but reddish black when full of blood. Female's head twice as long as high. Compound eyes well developed. Both genal and pronotal combs present, each composed of 16 spines, and genal comb's first 2 anterior spines of about equal length. Femur of hind leg with 7-10 bristles on inner side. Abdominal terga (dorsal plate of segments) 2-6 with a single row of bristles. In addition, antennae short, 3-segmented; ocelli lacking; legs long, coxae large, tarsi 5-segmented; usually jumping insects; mouthparts piercing-sucking with well-developed palps. Mature larvae about twice the adult length (1/4"/3-5.2mm). Larvae whitish, slender, eyeless, and legless. With a well-developed head. Anal struts/hooks 2, small. With moderately long, backward-projecting hairs (setae) encircling each segment. Last abdominal segment (10th) with 3 ventrolateral hairs (setae). SIMILAR GROUPS: (1) European mouse flea (Leptopsylla segnis) has genal comb with only 4 spines. (2) Rabbit flea (Cediopsylla simplex) with genal spines oriented vertically (vs. horizontal), comb spines with blunt/rounded ends. (3) Dog flea (Ctenocephalides canis) with head length less than twice height, genal comb with spine I (anterior most) distinctly shorter than spine II (adjacent spine to posterior/ rear), hind leg femur with 10-13 bristles on inner side. (4) Other fleas (various families) lack having both pronotal and genal combs or if both pronotal and genal combs present, then either have abdominal combs or have fewer than 16 spines in pronotal comb (dog flea with 16 pronotal spines, see above). BIOLOGY: Females lay 4-8 eggs after each blood meal, laying some 400-500 during their lifetime. The eggs are not glued/stuck to the hairs or body but are deposited on or between hairs, or in the nest or bedding material. Hence, eggs deposited on the animal either fall or are shaken off, and are frequently found in cracks and crevices where pets sleep or frequent. Eggs are oval, whitish, and about 1/64" (0.5 mm) long. They usually hatch in 1-12 days. Flea larvae move about using the setal rings and abdominal struts/hooks. They have chewing mouthparts and feed on organic debris but almost all require dried fecal blood in order to complete development; they do not bite but feed on adult flea fecal blood. Larvae require high relative humidity (45-95%) and 1-2 weeks to several months to go through 3 instars. Last instar larvae then spin a cocoon and incorporate surrounding debris on its surface which provides camouflage. Under favorable conditions, the pupal stage may last 4-14 days or up to a year under harsh conditions. The pre-emerged adult remains in the cocoon for up to 20 weeks, where it is protected from adverse conditions, including pesticides. Adults are stimulated to emerge from the cocoon by mechanical depression of the cocoon, an increase in temperature, and possibly vibrations. Larvae and pupae are typically found where the animal sleeps or frequents. Adults usually begin to seek a blood meal on the second day after emergence, but can live for several months on stored body fat. Once on a host, they tend to spend all of their time on the host, feeding, mating, and laying eggs, unless dislodged. Although they have a preferred host, they will readily bite and can survive using other species as hosts. Depending on conditions, adults usually live only several days because normal cat grooming removes up to 50% of the fleas; otherwise, they can survive about a year. Cat fleas may transmit plague. There is very strong circumstantial evidence that they may transmit murine typhus. Cat fleas serve as intermediate hosts of the dog tapeworm, Dipylidium canninum (Linnaeus), and the rodent tapeworm, Hymenolepis diminuta (Rudolph). These tapeworms occasionally infest humans, especially very young children. The dog tapeworm commonly infests cats that spend time outdoors. HABITS: It is not necessary to have pets in the building in order to have fleas present. Since fleas can jump about 6" (15 cm) vertically, they can easily hitch a ride on shoes, trousers, etc. Many vacationers who may have been unaware of the few adult fleas present, are often greeted and severely attacked by fleas upon their return. This can occur even if the building has been vacant of animals and people for as long as 6 months or so. This situation can occur because of the potentially long pupal period, adults can live for months without food, and because fleas have not been removed via normal vacuuming. Also, fleas are normally removed from the interior environment by taking up residence on the pet(s). Fleas are typically found where animals sleep or frequent, including along their usual avenue of travel, because this is where eggs and adult fecal blood accumulate. Most larvae will be found in similar places but especially in areas with high moisture which is necessary for their survival. Pupae will be found in the same situations as larvae. Such places include both indoor and outdoor situations. Cat fleas are also found on other urban hosts such as opossum, fox, mongoose, and occasionally rats. Flea larvae die at relative humidities below 45% and above 95%, and hence, are rarely found outdoors in arid climates. Larvae fail to develop at temperatures below 55 degrees F (13 degrees C) and at or above 95 degrees F (35 degrees C). CONTROL: Flea control is a 4-part process. Wild animals such as rodents, opossums, etc., which are nesting in or frequently visiting the structure must be prevented from entering the structure and controlled with appropriate trapping devices or baits. If the pet has fleas at the time of treatment, the pet owner must arrange for the pet to be treated. Treatment may be done by a veterinarian, grooming parlor, or by the pet owner, but must be done on the day of treatment and either before or while the premises are being treated. INDOOR CONTROL. The homeowner or occupant must do the following just before the flea control treatment: Remove all items such as toys and pillows off the floor or carpet; remove all articles from under beds, on closet floors, and from under furniture; vacuum all upholstered furniture, floors, and carpeting, paying particular attention to the foot of the furniture on which the pet rests, under furniture, and wall-floor junctions. The vacuum bag must be immediately removed and put into a plastic garbage bag, the top sealed, and then placed in an outside garbage receptacle or burned. Thoroughly clean all areas frequented by pets, e.g. table tops, refrigerator tops, window sills, counters, etc. Cover aquariums and turn off the pumps prior to the treatment. Be sure to remove all pets, including birds. The treatment consists of applying an appropriately labeled pesticide and IGR(Ultracide) as per label instructions with thoroughness being the key to success. It is recommended that an IGR (insect growth regulator) be used on the initial treatment and reapplied as per label instructions every 3-6 months throughout the flea season. For seasonal re-occurrences, it is recommended that a treatment be applied before the next flea season as a preventative measure. Regardless, after any carpet and/or floor treatment, do not allow humans or pets back into the house until the treatment has completely dried. This will prevent pesticide pickup and possible staining from dirt being brought in contact with the damp carpet. Also, ventilate the house upon re-entry. Since vacuuming has little effect on residual deposits, vacuum several times during the first 7-10 days after treatment. This will help reduce the emerging of new fleas. OUTSIDE CONTROL. Keep in mind that most flea treatments do not require a yard treatment. Most pets are indoors pets and usually go outside to either exercise or just to do their business.
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| Tick Facts |
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| <!--[if supportFields]>PRIVATE<![endif]--> <!--[if supportFields]> <![endif]--> COMMON NAME: | Blacklegged/deer/bear tick |
| SCIENTIFIC NAME: | Ixodes scapularis Say |
| CLASS/ORDER/FAMILY: | Arachnida/Acari/Ixodidae |
| METAMORPHOSIS: | Simple |
INTRODUCTION. The common name blacklegged refers to their dark legs which are in contrast to the paler body and that of deer because the preferred adult host is the white-tailed deer; in the midwest, it is called the bear tick. This tick is of medical importance because it is an important vector of Lyme disease. Blacklegged ticks are found primarily in the northeastern, midwestern, and southeastern states in the United States, but extend into Mexico. In error, this tick was described in 1979 as the new species Ixodes dammini by Spielman, Clifford, Plesman & Corwin; this error was corrected by Olivier, Jr., et. al. in 1993.
RECOGNITION. Unengorged female about 118" (2.7 mm) long, male smaller (about 1/16"12 mm). Body oval, dorsoventrally flattened (top to bottom), not hard-shelled. Color orangish brown except legs, mouthparts and scutum (dorsal shield just behind mouthparts) dark reddish brown but abdomen darker when engorged; male body reddish brown overall. Scutum present, longer than wide, almost completely covering dorsum in male. Eyes lacking. Capitulum (mouthparts and their base) visible from above; hypostome (toothed median mouthpart) with apex sharply pointed. Coxa I (1st pair of legs) with internal spur (projection from coxal base) overlapping coxa II (2nd pair of legs). Abdomen with anal groove in front of anus; lacking abdominal festoons (rectangular areas divided by grooves along posterior margin). Unengorged 1st instar larvae about 1/32" (0.7-0.8 mm) long, with 6 legs; 2nd instar nymphs about 1/16" (1.1-1.8 mm) long, with 8 legs.
SIMILAR GROUPS. (1) Pacific/western blacklegged tick (Ixodes pacificus) with scutum (dorsal shield) almost round (subcircular); (2) Other ixoda ticks (non-Ixodes) with anal groove either behind anus, indistinct, or absent, festoons often present; (3) Soft ticks (Argasidae) lack a scutum (dorsal shield), with capitulum (mouthparts and their base) ventral, not visible from above.
BIOLOGY. Although the life cycle (egg to egg) can be completed in 2 years in nature, it may be extended to 4 years if hosts are scarce. Adult ticks feed during the winter primarily on the white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmermann). Here they mate, with the male dying shortly after mating and the female remaining on the host. In the spring, the female drops off the host and deposits about 3,000 eggs. The 6-legged larvae hatch out in several weeks (48-135 days) and can be found June through September. They feed for 3-9 days but only once, usually on small mammals such as mice, chipmunks, voles, etc. but the preferred larval host is the white-footed mouse, Peromyscus leucopus Rafinesque. Larvae feeding before September molt promptly and overwinter as 8-legged nymphs; those which feed later, overwinter engorged and molt into nymphs the following spring. Nymphs feed for 3-8 days but only once during the summer, usually on mice or larger mammals such as squirrels, raccoons, opossums, skunks, dogs, and humans, or on birds. Nymphs can be found from April through August, with the population usually peaking in June or July. These fed nymphs then require 25-56 days to molt into adults in the autumn. The adults attach primarily to the white-tailed deer, engorge, and mate. The male dies after mating but the female continues to feed until egg development is completed and remains on the deer until spring when she drops off to lay eggs. Shortly after her eggs are laid, the female dies.
If adults do not feed during their first season (autumn through spring), they die before summer's end. If nymphs do not feed their first season (summer), most die off but they can survive through 2 seasons (May through August of the next year); they develop into adults in the same year in which they feed. Unfed larvae survive less than one year, they usually survive the winter but die during the following year.
Lyme disease is caused by the spirochete, Borrelia burgdofferi Johnson, Schmid, Hyde, Steigerwalt & Brenner, which is a corkscrew-shaped bacteria. Its primary wild reservoir is the white-footed mouse which is infected by the spring-feeding, pathogen-infected blacklegged/deer tick nymphs. These white-footed mice then serve to infest the later-feeding blacklegged/deer tick larvae, which keeps the disease cycle going. Tick eggs don't contain the spirochete, so it is acquired via feeding.
It is the pathogen-infected blacklegged/deer tick nymphs, which are most active in mid-summer (May-July) and use a wide variety of hosts, that are primarily responsible for Lyme disease in humans in the northeast and midwest. Larvae and nymphs have been collected on 29 species of mammals in 7 orders, and from 49 species of birds (23 species being migratory birds) in 17 different families.
In the west, the primary Lyme disease vector is the Pacific/western blacklegged tick, Ixodes pacificus Cooley and Kohls, while in the south the vector(s) is suspected to be the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum (Linnaeus).
HABITS. Blacklegged/deer ticks climb grass and shrubs to wait for a passing host, and move very little laterally. They concentrate on such vegetation located in transitional areas/zones such as where forest meets field, mowed lawn meets unmowed fence line, a foot/animal trail through high grass or forest, etc. Because these transitional areas or edge habitats are where most animals travel sometime each 24-hour period, this is where the ticks are mostly likely to acquire a host.
The other habitat most likely to harbor ticks is the den, nest, or nesting area of its host such as that of skunks, raccoons, opossums, but especially the white-footed mouse. The white-footed mouse prefers woody or brushy areas. It nests in any place that gives shelter such as below ground, in stumps, logs, old bird or squirrel nests, woodpiles, buildings, etc. A favorite feeding area for these ticks on humans is at the back of the neck, at the base of the skull; long hair makes detection more difficult. However, the ticks will usually wonder about for up to 4 hours or so before they attach. Then, a tick has to be attached for a period of 6-8 hours before a successful transmission can take place.
CONTROL. The reduction of these ticks is a 6-step process. The first 2 are sanitation and personal protection, which are the responsibility of the homeowner or occupant(s).
- Sanitation, consists of the following: (a) keep grass cut low including around fence lines, sheds, trees, shrubs, swing sets and other difficult to cut locations; (b) remove weeds, woodpiles, and other debris which are attractive to mice as nesting areas, and leaf litter which is attractive to ticks, especially the nymphs; (c) keep garbage can lids on tightly to discourage opossums, raccoons, and skunks from coming into the yard to raid garbage cans for food because these animals all harbor the ticks which transmit the Lyme disease pathogen; (d) discourage feeding birds because the seeds attract deer mice, the major reservoir host for the Lyme disease pathogen; and (e) install a chimney screen to keep squirrels, raccoons, and birds away.
- Personal protection, consists of: (a) use deet or permethrin containing repellent and tuck pants into socks or boots when going into suspect areas; (b) check children for ticks when they come into the house because it takes up to 4 hours, possibly longer, for the tick to start feeding; (c) wear light colored clothing which makes spotting ticks easier; (d) pets which go outdoors may increase the chance of the occupant's encounter with these ticks, especially cats; and (e) encourage the vet to check any pet's blood to determine if they are carrying the Lyme disease spirochete.
- Inspection, is done by performing a tick drag on a routine basis in areas where the ticks have been reported or for homes adjacent to heavily wooded or uninhabited areas. The drag consists of light colored heavy duty cloth, 7 feet long by 2 feet wide, which is securely weighted at both ends. A rope is attached to one end and this drag is walked around the suspect property.
- Treat the perimeter of the property or the entire property with an appropriately labeled pesticide if ticks show up on the drag. Wettable powder and microencapsulated formulations work best. Professionals may be needed for that task because power sprayer is usually needed.
- Do an exterior perimeter rodent control program using PVC pipe with a glue board placed inside or use protecta stations.
- Use the product which has cotton balls treated with a residual pyrethroid placed inside open cylinders as per label directions. The cotton is harvested by mice as a nesting material and when ticks come in contact with it, they die.
LYME DISEASE. The symptoms are usually divided into 3 stages, and they mimic several different commonly occurring diseases. Symptoms: Spreading rash, fever, flu-like symptoms, aches.
| Stage 1: | Expanding rash (Erythema migrans or EM rashes). 3-30 days after bite. |
| · Ringlike/bullseyelike appearance to rash. · One or more rash sites. · May or may not have flu symptoms. · May come and go or persist. | |
| Stage 2: | Complications or disorders of the heart or nervous system. |
| · Heart. Varying degrees of blockage of the heart muscle. · Nervous system. Meningitis, encephalitis, facial paralysis. · "Bell's palsy," other conditions involving peripheral nerves. · Migratory pain in joints, tendons, muscles, and bones, often without joint swelling or redness. | |
| Stage 3: | Months to years after disease onset. |
| · Arthritis that appears and disappears intermittently for several years. · Enlarged knee joints. · Erosion of cartilage and bone. |
| Treatment notes: |
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| Tick Removal: |
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| Epidemiological Notes: |
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