Fleas in the backyard (suggestions?):
Due to overload on the family (and that I’m unable to handle the mower at present) we depend on a mowing service to come over and do the lawn – a very nice operation, really, and we recommend them to any locals that might need it.
But the dogs have been plagued recently with some kind of biting bug, and even Kay, my niece, got chewed on by them, and we’re trying to figure out what the heck they are. Our best guess is that we have fleas back there. The dogs are well treated by Frontline, and the fleas aren’t in the house, but it’s murder to be on the grass, especially if it gets long.
Susan (my wife) is a biologist with the US EPA – and has worked for years in the Pesticides area. She and I are both strong believers in the idea of organics over chemicals for pest and garden control, and we all were in the back yard earlier today – Kay and Grandma Connie were out weeding the asparagus patch Susan put in this spring, and Susan and Mere were out digging up the burdock that has been going nuts in the yards, digging up plants and Roundup-ing the plants. I was out giving out what limited gardening advice I have to pass on, and IDing plants (mostly ‘yeah, that’s a weed’) for disposal.
I’m trying to research out how to organically try to nail fleas in a backyard. (Suggestions welcome.) Aside of the fact that we REALLY don’t like the idea of tossing around chemical pesticides (we have kids and dogs cavorting around the yard, let alone us and the food plants we grow and eat), we appreciate the danger in just using the things.
What I’m coming up for dealing with fleas in the backyard is below the cut; the main ‘dry’ applications need reapplication when they get soggy from rain.
- Beneficial Nematodes (supplier 1) (supplier 2, with long explanation) to eat up flea larvae and the like, along with other pests.
- Diatomaceous Earth (supplier page, with long explanation, also notes additives of Pyrethrin and Piperonyl Butoxide for a indoor version, but I’m not too keen on that). Sharp edges of the microscopic stuff tear into fleas like knives, and they dry out and die.
- Crabshell Fertilizer (supplier page, with long explanation)
- Cedar Chips on the fence line to keep out fleas from other yards (tricky in our yard…)
- Borax: (discussion) I’m not totally sold on this dangers-wise, and I’m passing this on to Susan for research on toxicity issues from her end. Dessicates fleas and larvae.
