meco3hp Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 Hello, We are having a masive infestaion of fleas in the area this year. If you walk around in shorts and bear feet, from your knees down your legs, and feet are amost black with fleas! Any good, kinda cheap ways to kill them off. I can get bombs for the house and shop, but the yard is a real problem. HELP! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 Not tolerating a lot of chemicals very well I've used a medieval method, at night get a shallow pan and fill with water and put a lit candle in the center of it; the fleas will jump toward the light and drown---a little dishsoap helps reduce the surface tension. Worked well in the house. (described in "The Goodwife of Paris") Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irnsrgn Posted July 25, 2005 Share Posted July 25, 2005 http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7419.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quenchcrack Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Almost any of the yard insect chemicals will control fleas. Spectracide is now called Triacide and it works well. Maxide, or Ortho products will get them, too. Keep the kids and the dog off the yard until you water it in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWooldridge Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 IMHO, the BEST stuff on the market is called Demon WP (wettable powder). I have an applicator's license and can get really potent stuff but I always use Demon around the house and anyone can buy it. It is natural and can be used in the house and around pet areas, but it zaps all bugs for about 2 months before needing reapplication. We had the world's worst scorpion infestation three years ago and this stuff was the only thing that worked - and it also kills fleas... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elkdoc Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 I have great luck with OrthoMax. I'm interested in Mr. Woolridge's recommendation, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meco3hp Posted July 26, 2005 Author Share Posted July 26, 2005 Hello, I see that the Demon WP can be found on ebay. How do you apply it? Is it a power, or as a spray? How much do I need for a 5 gallon sprayer if it is a spray-on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWooldridge Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 It is a wettable powder so you can apply it with a pump-up hand sprayer. There are four dissolvable packets in a single foil wrapper and they recommend 1-2 packets per gallon of water with coverage of 1-5 gallons over 800-1600 square feet. I use 1 packet in 1 gallon - that does the whole outside of my house and the immediate area. You may want to treat the infestation and then spray a 5-10 foot barrier around it. Use a coarse spray and keep the tank somewhat agitated or the stuff settles out after an hour or two. I sprayed the first time and some of our local gecko lizards ran through it with no ill consequences but the wasp nests were dead within 15 minutes. They think it's rain and don't attack or leave the nest. I had a big kill on pill bugs immediately but saw no dead scorpions so I thought the stuff had failed, but dead scorpions started showing up a couple days later - it took longer and they were just as dead. Unfortunately, it does not discriminate and kills the harmless/helpful bugs also. I apply every 60 days in the hot season but lay off in winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glenn Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Demon WP is a wettable powder insecticide that comes packaged in 1# bulk containers and in the more popular tinfoil package containing 4 water soluble pre-measured packets inside. Each one of these packets makes between 1/2 and 4 gallons of finished spray. Costs I have seen are $20 - $28 insecticide information then scroll down Insecticide Lables pdf format Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elkdoc Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 HWoolridge brings up a good point. With almost any broad spectrum insecticide the good bugs will get killed too. Learned this the hard way last year when nothing in the garden got pollenated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candidquality Posted December 9, 2005 Share Posted December 9, 2005 http://www.hydromall.com/happy_grower16.html Inside, outside, on the animals there is nothing better. period. Diatomaceous Earth. For those who just prefer a summary. Buy it at a hardware store and it's utterly safe (not pool supply, this is processed and dangerous stuff). You could eat it if you wanted, thought it doesn't really have any flavor so you might want to add some salt kills bugs by dehydration. Is NOT a chemical. is not expensive. just doesn't get any better. only thing safer is squishing the little buggers by hand. Kills just about any bug with a hard shell. only thing it doesn't do well on is weevils. there's just no good soft spots for this stuff to attack. will not harm animals. can be put in animals food to destroy internal parasites even, but please go to the link and read before attempting this. would be a good idea to wear some eye protection and a dust mask as this stuff is so fine it makes powdered sugar look like corn. could be a little irritating if in eyes or inhaled. I'd wish you good luck. but if you use this you will not need it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meco3hp Posted December 9, 2005 Author Share Posted December 9, 2005 Hello, yes good stuff, I've used it on chickens before. No flea problem now, too cold! :mrgreen: Thanks Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strine Posted December 9, 2005 Share Posted December 9, 2005 Gee I thought we had it bad with the odd tiger or brown snake to worry about or even the occasional drop bear that you think is lurking nearby, but I'd rather have them than all those pesky little things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph Posted December 10, 2005 Share Posted December 10, 2005 I like boric acid. Pet safe and bug unsafe...... Least it keeps ants out of the house Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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