It was early in the morning, and the sun was already up. My border collie puppies and I had just been outside for their morning routine walk, their tiny feet wet from the heavy morning dew. Another day of hot weather was in the making. The steady hum of local insects were beginning to swarm around the flowerbeds and garden area. As I nonchalantly observed Mother Nature in progress, I saw my dogs scratching from one end to another, with an age-old problem that had not yet shown its ugly head this season. Fleas.
Probably more than my dogs, I hate fleas with a passion. Once they have started their cycle, it is a continuous battle until the first freeze outside. This famous irritable parasite has a reputation that is known to have killed more victims than those who have died in all the world wars. The bubonic plague, which caused the deaths of more than 200 million people in the 14th century, is just one of the many win-win situations caused by this little creature.
The Result of Modern Pollution
Under “Pet-Grub.com” there was article about a Native Canadian woman who stated her forefathers never had a problem with the flea, because “it was basically a result of modern pollution and damage to the environment.” Her tribe was from an area that bordered B.C., Alaska and the Yukon border, and the author of the article was interested in why this woman’s forefathers survived in insect heaven in their early days. The author of the article, along with myself, was very surprised at the answer as most of the world today prides themselves on their cleanliness and sanitary living. Guess we were wrong.
Continue reading →