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End of lease flea treatments

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END OF LEASE FLEA TREATMENTS

If renters have had a family pet throughout their tenancy they may be asked within the special conditions in their lease to carry out flea control at the conclusion of their tenancy.

Depending on the demands of the actual property manager this procedure might be internal only, external only or both.

FLEAS INFO

Fleas flourish around warm, damp areas and climates. The primary flea food is blood from the host animal which is normally cats, dogs and humans.

The four main stages of the flea lifecycle are:
1.Egg
2.Larva
3.Pupa
4.Adult

The whole flea life cycle can vary from two to three weeks to more than a 12 months, dependant upon environmental conditions.

Adult fleas prefer to dwell on the actual host pet, but are frequently dislodged by scratching. Fleas are very well renowned for their leaping qualities.

The actual adult female flea can easily lay up to 50 eggs on a daily basis, 500-600 eggs over several months.

The egg, larval, and pupa stages more often than not take place in the environment off the pet, in which the microenvironment is often well suited for development.

Eggs tend to be laid on the animal, but they are quite sleek and simply slip off into the surroundings such as carpeting, bedding, floorboards, and soil. Flea eggs can lay dormant for approximately ninety days prior to hatching.

The larva stage can last up to 3 weeks depending on conditions before the larva pupates.

The pupa is the very last period before adult. The actual adult flea can come out from the cocoon as early as three to five days, or it can remain in the cocoon for 12 months or maybe more, waiting for the best time for it to emerge.

These kinds of larvae and cocoons are found deeply throughout carpeted places or even locations with a layer of organic material (e.g., a garden or flower bed).

When suitable conditions are present such as movement, warmth and increased C02 the adult fleas will emerge.

The adult will come out from the cocoon in an exceedingly short time phase…less than a second….and instantly leap to discover a appropriate host. When on the host they feast upon blood obtained simply by biting down hard through the skin.

Fleas need blood to be able to survive as well as reproduce. If there are no pets then humans become the flea’s blood meal.

The pupa and egg stage of the lifecycle are impervious to pesticides.

A female adult flea consumes 15 times its weight in blood everyday.

Fleas accelerate the equivalent of 50 times faster than the space shuttle does immediately after lift off.

Fleas can easily jump as much as 150 times the length of their bodies – sideways or up – equal to an individual jumping almost a thousand ft.

Ten fleas can potentially multiply to 250,000 in only thirty days.

END OF LEASE FLEA TREATMENT

End of lease flea treatments by fully licensed pest control brisbane providers requires the application of a synthetic pyrethroid pesticide spray. Areas treated internally consist of probable habitat areas, any carpeting and rugs and skirting boards.

Externally (if neccessary) treated locations include subfloor areas, verandahs, decks, garages, etcetera

Particularly significant is definitely treating areas that were frequented by the family pet.

WHY DO VACANT PROPERTIES GET A FLEA INFESTATION AFTER A NEW TENANT HAS MOVED IN?

As previously discussed adult fleas hatch from the cocoon whenever suitable stimulation is present.

The actual stimuli include: vibration, elevated co2 amounts, heat, as well as movement.

A vacant residence offers no such stimuli and the cocoon phase of the lifecycle can wait a year or maybe more for the right conditions.

Once new tenants enter the home the ‘right’ stimuli are present and the mature fleas begin to emerge.

Be patient!

The recently emerged fleas will need to come into contact with the particular active ingredient in the pesticide.

As soon as this occurs over-all numbers will quickly reduce. With regards to the size of the pupae population inside the house recently emerged fleas may continue to appear in reducing quantities for an estimated 6 weeks.

The recently emerged fleas can continue to bite and cause irritation before they die.

Patience is needed throughout the 6 week period after a flea treatment.

NOTICE TO NEW TENANTS AND PROPERTY MANAGERS

You can expect to still see a few fleas within the property and surrounds for approximately 6 weeks as the treatment takes effect.

One or two active fleas does not mean you have an infestation.

Give the treatment time to work.

The greater the movement and vibration inside the property the more will be the stimulus for fleas to hatch-out and the faster the procedure works.

Have any domestic pets you’ve introduced to the house treated frequently for fleas and tapeworm.

Sanitation is extremely important for control, however if feasible do not vacuum, or even wash surfaces for as long as possible to give the treatment more time to work.

Reduce accessibility of your dog/cat to internal and sub floor zones particularly for the duration of summertime months.

Be patient.

6 weeks from the beginning of occupation is essential before any kind of re treatment should be undertaken. Re treating prior to this time period is not going to accelerate the fleas hatching practice but could cause unneeded chemical build up.

Keep in mind it really is pest management NOT pest elimination-it is not possible to remove all fleas within the environment.

Termite Barriers

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Termite Barriers

Also known as a treated zone and are generally applied when active termites are found in a property. The process involves trenching and treating the entire perimeter of the structure and ensuring an even spread of termiticide from the footings to the surface. They should only be applied by Licenced Pest Control Companies. Where pathways and driveways abut the structure it is generally recommended that the concrete is cut away and removed and the soil underneath dug out (and replaced if necessary) and chemically treated. The main advantage of a termite barrier is that after application it will generally be between 5 and 10 years before you even have to think about doing it again-assuming the barrier is not disturbed in any way. Popular chemical termiticides used include Biflex, Premise and Termidor-each with their own pro's and cons. Termiticides are classified into two general classes-repellant and non repellant.Repellant termiticides such as Biflex kill on contact and termites are 'repelled' by the chemical. Non repellant termiticides such as Premise and Termidor allow the termites to penetrate the treated soil where they 'pick up' the active ingredient and take it back to the nest-this is what is known as the 'transfer effect'. Provided the chemical treated zone is applied correctly i.e. there is an even distribution of chemical throughout the soil that abuts the structure then Termites will find it very difficult to get into the home whether the chemical is non-repellent or repellent. That said chemical treated zones are difficult to install correctly given the variety of construction methods and soil varieties in Australia. Slab construction techniques such as 'infill' and 'waffle pod' offer their own unique problems. The majority of houses have pathways and driveways made of concrete that abut the structure. Ideally the concrete should be cut away and the soil dug up and treated before replacing the concrete. In many situations the soil will contain all sorts of foreign objects such as timber off cuts, broken bottles etc that must be removed. Many homeowners do not want their pathways/driveways 'cut up' and so elect to have them drilled and injected. This process involves drilling below the concrete every 200mm and injecting the termiticide under pressure through the hole to the soil/surface underneath. The main problem with this technique is that you can never be sure of what is happening under the concrete. Although not the recommended option on most occassions this method is successful. homeowners need to way up the cost versus the risk. Physical Barriers Many newer homes are protected by plastic sheeting which is impregnated with termiticide such as Homeguard or Kordon. Other physical barriers include Granitgard and Termimesh. Many unsuspecting Homeowners believe these physical barriers will protect their house from getting termites. Reality is the physical barriers are designed to force the termites out into the open.They are not designed to stop them.  Remedial treatments can then be applied to the active termites. After Treatment Once a chemical treated zone is set up correctly it's important to ensure that the treated zone is not breached by the addition of untreated soil or by the stacking of items against the wall of the house such as firewood. Conducive Conditions Conducive conditions are those conditions that exist in and around the structure that increase the chances of termite attack. They include: -tree roots and stumps -timber in contact with the ground -leaking taps and guttering -poor drainage -garden beds up against the structure -watering systems etc. Many of these conditions increase the chances of termite attack and/or concealed termite entry to the home. They should be attended to immediately. How long will the termite barrier last? All chemical barriers break down over time and will last between 5 and 10 years depending on the chemical used and environmental factors. Depending  on the house design and the surrounding environment most homeowners should be looking to replace their treated zones at the 5 year mark. Cost Properly installed termite barriers vary in cost but you can expect to pay in excess of $2500 depending on the chemicals used and the size of your house. Many consumers are tempted to use the 'cheap and cheerful' operators who charge significantly less but use low quality chemicals, do not offer a service period and perform poor workmanship. Like everything in life you get what you pay for! Termite Control is no different.