Last week I talked about fire ants.  Well today it’s 2 new animals.  Fleas and ticks.  It seems to be that everyone is having trouble with these critters, especially the fleas, this year.  And believe me, they are hard to control and get rid of.  When I was growing up, we were fighting also seed ticks.  You could just walk by a limb or shrub and the seed ticks would just grab you.  We lived in the country and were forever fighting these critters. You would probably get arrested now for using the sprays mom used on us to kill them. We haven’t seen seed ticks for a long time. Some say that fire ants killed them. Sounds reasonably likely to me.  

There are new products developed to fight the fleas. One of the newest is a product called Demand Duo.  A 1.1 ounce bottle will make 1 gallon of water.  You can apply it to kennels, brush, and anywhere outside to kill fleas and ticks.  It is labeled to spray inside for bedbugs, flies, and silverfish.  So it will probably get the fleas.  It is also labeled for mosquitoes, yellow jackets and wasps. Bifen is also a good flea killer at an ounce to a gallon of water. There is a product called IGR, insect growth regulator, that you can add to the mixture.  IGR is used to keep the flea eggs from hatching so it gives you a little longer time between spraying.

Adams Plus Carpet spray is a good option for inside the house,  It also has a chemical similar to the IGR.  It is good for carpets, rugs, drapes, and furniture.  Very easy to use.  Adams also has a good line of stuff to use on pets.  Most of these products have IGR also.  

One thing for sure, with all of the rain we have had, is that we will be invaded with extra insects, so be prepared.

As always, please read the label.

(Mitzi Thomas owns Minden Farm & Garden LLC. Watch for her column on Fridays in Webster Parish Journal. Email Mitzi questions at  mitzithomas40@yahoo.com.)