Bifenthrin & Hurricane Lilies

Sprayed front and back yards with Bifenthrin, as I had found two dead fleas on Apollo.

Also found some Hurricane Lilies growing along the side of the front yard, by Barbara’s driveway, one by the back gate, and one along the way to the chicken coop.  I transplanted the ones by the chicken coop and the back gate to the front flower beds, Marian Garden and St. Francis Garden.  Hoping they take well, as it would be nice to have more bulbs and color throughout the year there.  Also used the leaf blower and got all of our leaves into the back yard flower beds which line our property… Free mulch!

Watered the median for an hour today (see brown grass in picture below). Very thankful for the simple sprinkler I found at Wal-Mart for $2.99, which has many settings regarding spray patterns. Currently it is on a long and narrow setting which covers the whole median. I love the way our yard is starting to look :).

Flea saga, cont.

Hadn’t mowed in over a week due to being in Atlanta and the rain, so knew I needed to get out there today, rain or no rain, fleas or no fleas.  Glad I did, as it was getting very long, and would probably need raking if I had waited any longer (last time I mowed was Monday, 8/1.

Also cleaned up the back yard, putting out an old leaf pile that the previous owners had used for leaves/branches/outdoor trash.  I suspect this was the fleas last stronghold, so I lathered up in Deet and took it all out to the street corner (in trash cans, of course).  Then applied Deltamethrin granules over the back yard, which should set in with the rain forecasted this afternoon.

Chickens are doing great … Collected 7 eggs from them and cleaned the coop 3 days ago.  Feel bad that they can’t free range due to all the insecticides, but it should be safe once I’m certain the fleas are under control.

Wife continues to make progress on baby Lucy’s blanket and practicing for cantoring this Saturday’s Mass.  We are proud Godparents of baby Lucy now, and will likely be starting many gift projects in our new role.

Rain: 3+ inches in the last week.

Plants: Azaleas are in bloom (encore).  Hosta flowers have changed to small buds.  Impatients and Petunias continue to bloom, although the hanging baskets on the porch may be getting too much sun for Impatients… Should probably do petunias next year.  Tomatoes/cucumbers/bellpeppers continue to produce despite my neglect.  Now have two from the cherry tomato plant.

Fleas!

Received another 2.5 inches of rain just over this weekend.  Definitely no need to water this week.

I think the long drought, with rain, has brought about a flea infestation (coupled with tons of stray cats, squirrels, etc.).  Below is a list of things we have tried, which I will continue to update as we go.  We still have a few fleas when the dogs have been in the back yard :-(.

On dogs:

Afoxolaner – NexGard (monthly pill)
Spinosad – Comfortis (monthly pill)
Etofenprox/Methoprene/Piperonyl Vutoxide – Ovitrol X-tend (spray)
Pyrethrin + IGR Enforcer Dog Spray
Permethrin – Sentry Dog Shampoo

In yard:

Permethrin – Martin’s 10% Permethrin + FDMO (1 ounce per gallon)
Lambda-cyhalothrin – Cutter Backyard Bug Control Spray
Bifenthrin – Hi-Yield Bifenthrin Bug Blaster 2.4
Pyrethrin/Nylar – Enforcer Flea Fogger (7/25) under sealed/tarped deck
Pyrethrin/S-Methoprene/Piperonyl Butoxide (7/25) Raid fogger under deck
Bifenthrin granules on deck, driveway and front/side yard
Pyriproxyfen – Archer Insect Growth Regulator

In home:

Cypermethrin – Raid Concentrated Deep Reach Fogger
Nylar/Tetramethrin/Sumithrin – Enforcer XX Flea Carpet/Furniture Spray
Pyrethrin/Nylar – Enforcer Flea Fogger (7/25)
Bifenthrin – Hi-Yield (7/25) around baseboards prior to fogging
Pyrethrin/S-Methoprene/Piperonyl Butoxide (7/25) Raid fogger w/ IGR

Note that I think many of the yard problems are because it rained shortly after I sprayed the Bifenthrin… That does not explain, however, why the permethrin and Cutter didn’t work (I even had the neighbors call the Fire Department on me while I was fogging … orz).

7/24/16 Update

Sprayed the front yard with Bifenthrin during lunch break, as I figured it had all washed away with our deluge yesterday afternoon.  Walked inside and noticed I was completely covered with fleas, crawling over me like a horror movie.  Going to try and get a white hazmat suit for next spraying.

7/26/16 Update

Fleas are alive in back yard and jump on me if I attempt to go back there, on the driveway, or in the garage.  Fleas in the house appear to be dead/gone, and have been doing white sock test repeatedly with no signs of living fleas.  Dogs do not appear to have fleas any more, and we are using the front yard/entrance only.  Will spray more bifenthrin in back yard, per instructions for repeated treatments and 14 days for full cycle.

7/29/16 Update

Fleas continue to be absent from dogs, front yard, and inside house.  Had one flea jump on me for the entirety of my outdoor spraying yesterday in back yard.  Rain made it impossible to spray in the morning, so I laid out more Bifenthrin granules and sprayed areas protected from the rain.  Sprayed Permethrin with Archer Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) in the afternoon after the rain was long gone (front and back yards, deck).  So glad to have added the IGR for newly hatching fleas, but wish I could find it in a granular form for when it is raining.

Also cleaned the chicken coop, treated it with permethrin/IGR and Sevins dust.  No fleas seen in coop or on chickens, but better safe than sorry.

7-31-16: spayed with bifenthrin and archer igr front and back yard and deck. still some fleas noticed jumping on me while spraying.

8/1/16 Update

Fleas are dead and gone … Hallelujah! Will need to remember to do monthly maintenance bifenthrin during next season.