With so many Americans working from home, as well as students starting at-home learning, some pest control business owners expect to see an increase in flea control calls. According to the PCT 2020 State of the Flea Market report, about a fifth of PMPs, 21 percent, expect to see a flea outbreak due to the effect of stay-at-home lifestyles.
Since people and pets are home all day, likely spending more time outdoors, there are countless opportunities for them to pick up fleas and bring them into the house. Now more than ever, pest management companies can work alongside homeowners to help effectively treat flea infestations.
Aside from knowing they don’t want them in their homes, homeowners tend to not know much about fleas. PMPs should work with their clients to educate them on the necessary steps they should be taking before treatment to help eradicate these insects.
PMPs almost universally say insect growth regulators (IGRs) are their go-to product when treating for fleas. In addition to incorporating IGRs into service protocols, a big part of treating fleas successfully is identifying the source of the infestation.
It is important to have technicians educate customers on what the service entailed but to also share expectations as to what they are accountable for after your technicians leave. Since pupae may continue to develop and emerge from their cocoons for several days or weeks, customers should continue to vacuum for 2-3 weeks at intervals of 3-4 days. The vacuum’s mechanical pressure will improve the effectiveness of the insecticide. To learn more helpful homeowner tips and how you can reduce callbacks, check out our Flea Treatment Brochure.
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The Precor® product line from Zoëcon offers solutions to rid homes of the fleas you can see and those you can’t. Formulated with the insect growth regulator (S)-methoprene, the Precor® family of products effectively breaks the flea life cycle and prevents future populations by providing long-term residual control in both aerosol and liquid formats.