Warm autumn is blamed for increase in fleas

Cases of fleas are on the rise in the West Midlands, with experts blaming warm autumn conditions.

Local authority pest controllers revealed they have been dealing with a number of infestations in recent weeks.

In Wolverhampton, the numbers of call-outs to treat fleas have more than doubled, while Walsall has also seen an increase.

The mild and damp autumn has already been blamed for an increase in spiders, ladybirds and mushrooms.

In October, pest controllers at Wolverhampton City Council dealt with 55 cases of domestic fleas compared to 26 during October last year.

So far this month, they have been called out to deal with 15 infestations.

Steve Woodward, Wolverhampton City Council's head of street scene services, said: "We have seen an increase in the number of calls for the treatment of fleas, usually carried by domestic pets.

"We believe the unseasonably warm weather we have experienced in the last few weeks may have been a contributory factor in causing this."

Experts say the mild weather has allowed the insects to breed for longer, while the lack of a sharp frost has failed to kill them off.

Christan Hems, from Stourbridge-based Pestforce, said: "There have been more fleas around than any other bug at the moment and we have had more calls about it."