“Flea populations have been growing due to a number of factors these past few years, but they’ve exploded this year after a really mild winter allowed a larger number to survive.
Schaumburg, IL (PRWEB) October 25, 2012
Flea populations are reaching record high levels in parts of the United States as the warmer temperatures have provided ideal conditions for the pests to thrive. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) determined that the summer of 2012 was the third hottest on record with an average national temperature of 74.4°, 2.3° warmer than the 20th century average. Pest control operators around the county have experienced a rise in flea-related calls that have continued into fall as some regions reach peak flea season.
“This may be the worst flea season we’ve seen since the 1980’s,” said Linda Prentice, technical director for Bug Out Service, a Jacksonville, Fla. pest control company. “The hot dry summer was absolutely an issue, but we’ve been expecting this since early spring. Calls for fleas this summer were nearly 30 percent higher than last year.”
Dennis Judy, director of education and quality assurance for Allgood Pest Solutions in Atlanta, Ga. echoes these sentiments. Judy says increased activity among fleas and other pests has led to a significantly higher demand for service that has led to the addition of new service routes and hiring of more technicians.
According to Doug VanGundy, Senior Director, Research and Development for Central Life Sciences, the large increase in flea activity this year is the culmination of a steady rise in the pest’s numbers that has occurred in recent years.
“Flea populations have been growing due to a number of factors these past few years, but they've exploded this year after a very mild winter allowed a larger number to survive,” said VanGundy. “The populations typically lessen following the first frost, so we’ll have to see what’s in store as temperatures begin to cool across the country.”
VanGundy offered a number of tips for homeowners looking to control a flea infestation:
VanGundy added that the most effective treatment for any flea infestation should include both an adulticide for immediate control and an Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) for residual efficacy of up to 210 days after application. Central Life Sciences, inventors of IGR technology more than 35 years ago, offers a complete solution for the efficient control of fleas through its Zoëcon Professional Products division including Zenprox™ EC and a comprehensive lineup of Precor® Flea Control products. For more information, visit http://www.zoecon.com.
About Central Life Sciences
Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ: CENT) (NASDAQ: CENTA) offers a strategic grouping of products sold for professional and agricultural use under the name Central Life Sciences. Central Life Sciences is dedicated to creating healthier environments and making life better for people, plants and companion animals around the world. As inventors of insect growth regulator technology more than 35 years ago, Central Life Sciences pioneered biorational pest control: using the insect’s chemistry as a means to reduce pest populations. To learn more about Zoëcon® Professional Products, call 1-800-248-7763 or visit our website at http://www.zoecon.com.
Central Life Sciences with design is a registered trademark of Central Garden & Pet Company. Precor; Zenprox and Zoëcon are trademarks of Wellmark International.
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