Residual effectiveness of insect growth regulators applied to carpet for control of cat flea (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae) larvae.

Three insect growth regulators, fenoxycarb, methoprene, and pyriproxyfen, formulated as total release aerosols, were tested for their residual effectiveness on carpet in bioassays with cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché), larvae. All treatments except methoprene produced significant mortality for the 7-mo duration of the test. In general, fenoxycarb and the higher rates of pyriproxyfen reduced adult flea emergence by > 80%.