ATTACK OF THE PECKERHEADS

[Guest guest]

KNOW THE ENEMYA flea in profile looks something like a bullfrog would look if it had a huge woodpecker head. No wonder they can punch holes in me with a single bound...TACTICAL ERRORI Frontlined my dogs (no Revolution yet). They were overdue for a bath/dip at vet(he can use warm water).An hour later I played with them. I forgot that someone warned NOT to a couple days ago.Immediately felt fleas crawling. Stripped outer clothing and that seemed to get rid of them, then felt them in bra,threw it on the floor and Dawned it.Came back later and there were 3 fleasin a coagulating puddle of Dawn (yay!)

Forgot how fast fleas feed and leaveto go forth and populate EVERYTHING.That night, across the house, I wasbitten by fleas (they are different frommy other critters) repeatedly until I changed my disposable sheet, showered,put on clean PJs, and was still getting bittenby those who missed me the first time,or by the gluttons who didn't. My husband, usually unaffected,due, maybe, to the uric acid/gout?was attacked also.After a long night of work without rest,went to work, came back home, and counterattacked:In my new 2 gal Chapin sprayer, I mixedDustmite, Nylar, a whole bottle of Citra-Solv, and a bottle of light, clear herbal oils, 1/4 C. Dawn, and a Tbsp Enzyme Cleaner with Peppermint (ECP). I knew I didn't have enough of everything to do the whole house to the degree I wanted, and I felt it was more important to cover the whole house somewhat rather than saturate only one room.I sprayed everything from ceiling to floorwith a coarse mist (heavier, thus less likelyto "mist" into my lungs, and I wasn't wearinga respirator so had to use extra caution) until I ran out, but I managed to hit every room to at least some degree, heavier nearthe original bite site.Normally I use only the Dustmite, Nylar,and ECP, and am bitten often during sprayingsince the ECP will kill, but not immediately.Adding either the Dawn, the Citra-Solv, or the herbal oils, or a combination of these,kept me from bitten at all during spraying.A half hour after I finished spraying, I vacuumed half the house and my husbandvacuumed the rest. We immediately baggedwhat we were wearing and showered. (I lice-combed first as I felt intruders at the nape of my neck.)Isn't it amazing how fast an environment canescalate from apparent relative stabilityto chaos?Whew. Tonight I am hitting the hay EARLY.katie