Pet owners have been told to expect an increase in fleas this autumn, following a delayed flea season and increased number of pets in homes following the lockdown surge.

Richard Moseley, product manager at Bayer, said that due to milder temperatures this autumn, the flea season will be extended, meaning both fleas and their eggs which have been brought into the home by pets will survive much longer than usual.

“When central heating is turned on this autumn, it will trigger the eggs that are lying dormant around the house to hatch,” he said.

“This year, fleas may also be a bigger problem following the boom in puppy sales during the first nationwide lockdown.”

It’s estimated that 3.2 million UK households acquired a pet during the course of the pandemic. 

“This means some pet owners will be inexperienced in tackling fleas, meaning there’s a chance infestations could get out of hand,” Mr Moseley.

“Often flea infestations are just bad luck, but they’re a nuisance to tackle and can cause significant irritation for both humans and pets.”

Mr Moseley said that applying spot treatments to pets is always the first step to preventing fleas, but if an environment infestation does occur, it should be tackled swiftly through pest control.