The two main kinds of flea to be encountered in the UK are the dog flea (Cteneocephalides canis) and the cat flea (Cteneocephalides felis). These can be introduced to your home when your dog meets other dogs or is in close vicinity to where foxes may have been or from one cat to another.

Both these fleas will bite and live off human blood, but will not be able to produce fertile eggs. Human fleas (Pulex irritans) are very rare in the UK, although there are reports of them being found on pig farms where they can jump from pigs to a human host. Bird fleas (Ceratophyllus gallinae) and (Ceratophyllus columbae) can cause terrible problems once they have established themselves in a chicken coop or from nesting birds in lofts etc.