Damien was joined on Déise Today by Richard Faulkner, a technical consultant with Rentokil, to discuss reported infestations of fleas in homes and businesses.

Rentokil says they've seen increases across the country in callouts to deal with flea problems. The insects generally travel into the house on companion animals, but Richard told Damien that they can come into the house in other ways too, through animals in the garden for example.

Fleas are small insects that feed on blood as adults, which means that they can become something of a nuisance.  The most common flea that will attack humans is the cat flea, according to Richard.

Damien asked can fleas jump from cats or dogs onto human beds, for example? Richard said "very possible" and that they spend a lot of time on the animal's bedding and surrounding areas.

Richard had some tips on how people should deal with flea infestations. He also answered questions from listeners, such as how long it takes for an infestation to occur in a home, and are there different species of flea? He also explains the difference between ticks and fleas.

Damien also asked about mice in houses at this time of year, and you might be surprised to hear how small a space the rodents can come in through.

Have a listen to their chat (warning - it's not for the faint of heart!)

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