In areas where the human flea abounds, in addition to treating the 

 dogs and cats as outlined above, hogs should be kept from barns and 

 from going beneath houses. Their backs should be lightly sprinkled 

 with crankcase oil or crude petroleum every 2 or 3 weeks. 



If fleas are properly controlled on animals, house and yard infesta- 

 tions will be avoided. 



Destroying Fleas in Houses and Outbuildings 



Fleas in houses and barns originate in the sleeping places of animals. 

 If these are in cellars, in outbuildings, or beneath buildings or porches, 

 spraying the infested areas with creosote oil with a good force pump 

 is most satisfactory. A compressed-air sprayer, or, better, a bucket 

 pump, with a lead of high-pressure hose with tight connections, should 

 be used. 



Creosote oil will burn animals and plants. It has an objectionable 

 odor and will stain. Therefore it cannot be used in every situation. 

 It is not necessary to spray the walls of a cellar or outbuilding. Creo- 

 sote oil is relatively cheap (50 cents 

 to $1 per gallon) and is generally 

 available, since it is commonly used 

 as a wood preserver. It is remark- 

 ably effective against fleas. Usu- 

 ally One light Spraying Will Wipe Figure 4.— Larva, or maggot, of a flea, greatly 



out an infestation. One-half gallon 



is sufficient for 1,000 square feet of floor surface. More is required 



for dirt floors with cracks or where much dust or litter is present. 



When fleas are found to be breeding in hogpens or barns, the litter 

 should be raked up and scattered on fields, or burned, before the 

 spray is applied or after a preliminary spraying to give relief while 

 cleaning up. 



If fleas are abundant in living quarters, scatter flaked naphthalene 

 over the floor of each infested room at the rate of 5 pounds per room. 

 Keep the room closed for 48 hours. The remaining naphthalene 

 crystals may be swept up and put in a tight container for future use. 

 If animals have been sleeping on overstuffed furniture, it also should 

 be covered with the naphthalene. 



In cases where the main trouble is in the basement, the creosote oil 

 spray applied there will usually give immediate relief. The scattered 

 fleas carried into the living rooms may be destroyed with a commercial 

 fly spray applied with an atomizer. The fleas must be hit by the 

 spray. 



As soon as the premises have been treated as described, the treat- 

 ment of the dogs and cats with derris or cube powder should be begun. 



Occasionally fleas will spread from infested outbuildings or base- 

 ments to the yard and lawn. Treatment of the breeding places and 

 keeping the lawn closely cut will usually meet this situation. Fleas 

 do not live long when exposed to sunshine and rains. If fleas persist 

 in lawns or gardens, the grass and ground should be thoroughly 

 sprayed with 1 part of nicotine sulfate in 150 parts of warm water 

 (about 6 teaspoonfuls to 1 gallon), with enough soap added to make 

 the water milk} 7 . 



Prevention of house infestations by keeping fleas off animals is not 

 difficult, and pets are much relieved if they are kept free of fleas. 



