Professional pest managers will always do a great job at controlling fleas because they are professionals and they do this for a living.

Since fleas are in so many different life cycles, give the exterminator at least two weeks for their product to work. As mentioned last week, the flea population are in several different life cycles at any given time.

Adult fleas only account for about two percent of the population, the rest are in the egg, larva and pupae stage.

When treating fleas, it is good to treat your animal, your house and your yard. This three-prong attack gives you the best results.

If you are a "do it yourselfer" there are a few products that can make a difficult job easy.

Fleas can be controlled by starting with your animal. There are two very safe products that cost less than $13 that you can apply directly to you animal.

Flea and Tick Spray and Bio Spot kill adult fleas and have a growth regulator to prevent young fleas from becoming adults.

Ultracide should be sprayed inside your house. As mentioned last week, it is important to vacuum your house daily when you are trying to control fleas. If your vacuum has a bag, you want to remove it and put it in a plastic bag, and put it in the trash can outside after each vacuum.

Ultracide will kill the biting fleas and has a growth regulator that will prevent the treated population from maturing into reproducing, biting adult fleas.

Since I am cheap, I usually limit my spraying of the house to a few key areas where my dog hangs out. Remember from last week, when a dog gets up from a nap and shakes, he is shaking eggs off of his body.

I concentrate my spraying in and around those areas where he usually naps.

A can of Ultracide can last several seasons with this method.

Outside use Lebanon Insect Control in the yard. Be sure to treat mulched areas because the larvae live in moist wet areas. This product will knock down the adult flea population. Lebanon Insect Control will also control chiggers, ticks, chinch bugs, grubs, mole crickets, fire ants and many other pests.

Nylar is a growth regulator that will prevent the fleas from becoming reproducing adults. Be sure to spray the Nylar in your beds. Nylar is a great product outside because the sun doesn't break it down like some growth regulators (Precor).

Nylar can be used indoors as well. Nylar is an insect hormone that can be sprayed around mammals, reptiles, birds, you, your pets and children.

Nylar also controls roaches and mosquitoes as a bonus.

Always read, understand and follow product label. The product label is a Federal Law.

Bill Lamson-Scribner can be reached during the week at Possum's Landscape and Pest Control Supply. Possum's has three locations 481 Long Point Road in Mount Pleasant (971-9601), 3325 Business Circle in North Charleston (760-2600), or 606 Dupont Rd, in Charleston (766-1511). Bring your questions to a Possum's location, or visit us at http://www.possumsupply.com. You can also call in your questions to " The Garden Clinic", Saturdays from noon to 1:00, on 1250 WTMA (The Big Talker). The Horticulture Hotline is available 24 / 7 at possumsupply.com.