Purdue News 
Purdue News
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March 27, 1998
Hoosiers could see fewer mosquitoes, more fleas and ticksWEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- If weather patterns remain the same, folks in most of Indiana could see fewer mosquitoes than in the past two years, according to a Purdue University expert. The bad news is that fleas and ticks like the weather we've been having."Mosquitoes depend on moisture for breeding," said Cooperative Extension Service entomologist Ralph Williams. "Most of the state has had below-average moisture, so we probably won't see nuisance mosquitoes unless the moisture comes. It depends on the given area. There were a lot of eggs laid in dry depressions last season, so if we get rains to fill those depressions, we'll see the high populations again." Recent precipitation throughout the state didn't accumulate and shouldn't affect mosquito populations, he said. Adult mosquitoes lay eggs on the surface of water or in low places where water is likely to accumulate. "We just don't see the habitat for them," Williams said. "Other areas of the country will have problems because of excessive moisture and warm temperatures. The general outlook is for mosquito problems elsewhere. "Fleas are not so dependent on moisture levels, though. We'll probably see that flea populations fared well in the mild winter conditions we've had." There are several kinds of fleas, according to Williams, but all the adults live on the blood of animals and must have it to reproduce. "The cat flea is the most common," he said, "and is found on both cats and dogs." The adult lays its eggs on its host, and most eggs fall off in bedding, on floors, furniture and the ground. Eggs hatch in a few days, and the larvae feed on debris. In 12 to 15 days they change to pupae, then to adults in search of a host. To control fleas, it's important to eliminate the immature and adult stages. Williams recommended keeping pets treated with flea-control products. He said shampoos and sprays tend to work better than collars, but he suggested checking with a veterinarian for specific product recommendations. Thorough vacuuming, especially in pet resting areas, will remove developing fleas, he said. Vacuum bag contents should then be burned or discarded in an airtight plastic bag so larvae and pupae can't escape. If pets are allowed outdoors, kennels and other areas they frequent should be cleaned, as well. Debris should be removed, and a spray may be needed for large-scale treatment. Ticks are another pest of animals and people that Williams expects to survive the mild winter in large numbers. The American dog tick is the most common outdoor tick in Indiana, he said. But populations of deer ticks, which transmit Lyme disease, are increasing and becoming more common in the northwestern part of the state. "I've already seen a deer tick on a dog in rural Lafayette," he said. "We need to be on the lookout and take proper precautions." He recommended wearing long pants, with socks pulled up over the bottoms of the pant legs, and applying an EPA-approved repellent to clothing. "Ticks are found in areas heavy with wildlife," Williams said. "They climb on vegetation in wooded areas or areas with heavy brush or high grass and wait for a host to come by. Keeping weeds and brush cut back helps prevent them." A thorough inspection of clothing and skin is in order for people who've been out walking in a wooded, brushy or grassy area, he said. A shower may remove ticks that haven't become attached to the skin. Pet owners should check their pets, as well. "It takes about eight hours for a tick to fully attach," the specialist said. If a tick is overlooked and does become attached, Williams said it should be removed with tweezers at the base of the skin without breaking off the mouthparts. The bite site should be disinfected and hands washed thoroughly, as some ticks may carry infectious agents such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Dips and other pet treatments are available from veterinarians.
For more information on fleas, ticks and mosquitoes, contact your county Extension
office.
Compiled by Chris Sigurdson, (765) 494-8415; E-mail, sig@ecn.purdue.edu
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