For a prompt response call: Freephone: 0800 084 2292

             An effective, essential & excellent service                  Email: info@powerpestcontrol.co.uk

Cat Flea

Common Name: Cat Flea Scientific name: Ctenocephalides felis Size 2.5mm

Biology: Female's lay 4-8 eggs after each blood meal, laying some 400-500 eggs during their lifetime. The eggs are not glued or

stuck to the hairs or body but are deposited on or between hairs, or in the nest or bedding material. The eggs will hatch 2-3

weeks later depending on the temperature. Eggs that are deposited on an animal either fall or are shaken off, and are frequently

found in cracks and crevices where pets sleep or frequent. Adults usually begin to seek a blood meal on the second day of

emergence, but can live for several months on stored body fat. Although they have a preferred host, they will readily bite and

can survive using other species as hosts, spreading a variety of known infectious diseases.

Habits: It is not necessary to have pets in the building to have fleas present. Since fleas can jump 6ft or more vertically, they

can easily hitch a ride on trousers and shoes etc. if a building has been vacant for some time they are often greeted and

attacked by fleas. This can happen even if a building has been vacant of animals and humans for as long as 6 months or so. This

can happen because of the potentially long pupae period, and adults can live so long without food.

Treatment: Before a treatment can be carried out any pets should be treated for fleas using frontline, all carpeted areas will

need to be vacuumed and hard floors cleaned. The floor space of each carpeted room should be as clear as humanly possible.

This is so that we can treat as much of the floor space as we can. Once the property has been vacuumed the hoover bag should

be removed and disposed of outside, bagless hoovers to be cleaned with hot water and detergent. All skirting boards where they

meet the floor, all carpeted areas, cracks/crevices and soft furnishings will be sprayed with an insecticide. The treatment may

have to be repeated if biting continues after 2 weeks. It is advised that all treated areas cannot be cleaned or vacuumed for at

least 2-3 weeks after the treatment.

Black Ant

Common Name: Common Black Ant Scientific name: Lasius niger. Size 2.5-4mm

Biology: Over wintering females or Queens lay their eggs in the spring. The white legless larva's hatch in about 3-4 weeks and

are fed by the Queen on secretions from her salivary glands. The entire life cycle takes about 2 months. The nests can last for

several years and can contain 15-20,000 ants.

Habits: Their life is mainly spent outside in the soil and under paving slabs etc. but because of the foraging for food they enter

indoors and become a problem. As they forage for food they leave scent trails for the other ants to follow which is why you see

long lines of ants. They are a very social insect this is the reason you see them in large numbers.

Ants will also nest in cavity walls and in internal walls over the winter months for warmth. This can then lead to ant infestations

within a property causing high levels of ant activity. When ants nest in this manner it can make it very difficult to locate the nest

and also prolong the treatment.

Treatment: Ants can be treated with many of the available insecticides used by professional pest controllers, these are applied

ether directly into the nest if it can be located. If the nest is well hidden away the insecticides are applied to the trails used by

the ants, they walk on the treated surface taking it back to the nest. A gel bait can also be used, the ants take small amounts of

this back to the nest and feed it to the queen. Some ants nests are very hard to locate which means sometimes multiple

treatments are needed to eliminate an infestation.