Oriental Rat Flea, Insects Behind the Black Death Plague

Oriental Rat Flea, Insects Behind the Black Death Plague

Oriental Rat Flea, Insects Behind the Black Death Plague. Oriental Rat Flea is the name for a type of insect that is very small. Despite their small stature, the Oriental Rat Flea are not animals that can be ignored as they often perch on the bodies of humans and larger animals to suck their blood.

This pattern of life then makes this animal categorized as a parasitic animal. As the title implies, this time my article will discuss the Oriental Rat Flea or in scientific language Xenopsylla cheopis.

Oriental Rat Flea, Insects Behind the Black Death Plague

By looking at the name alone, readers would have guessed that the Oriental Rat Flea lives by sucking the blood of Rat. But apart from living as parasites in mice, these fleas also want to land on humans and other mammals.

The Oriental Rat Flea can be distinguished from other blood-sucking animals by its small size, a maximum length of only 4 mm and its distinctive shape. This animal has a body that is divided into three main parts, namely the head, chest and stomach.

Oriental Rat Flea, Insects Behind the Black Death Plague

The body of the Oriental Rat Flea is flat upward, segmented, and reddish brown in color. There are 6 legs, where the hind legs are bigger than the front legs.

The Oriental Rat Flea is wingless, but can jump enormous distances for an animal of its size. Despite being less than half a centimeter in size, the Oriental Rat Flea can jump up to 32 cm and as high as 17 cm.

With its ability to jump as well, the Oriental Rat Flea can land on the fur and skin of its host, then return to the ground when it is finished feeding on its host's blood.

The Oriental Rat Flea can be found in tropical and subtropical areas around the world. Because the Oriental Rat Flea makes the black rat species its primary host, the spread of this tick is determined by the presence or absence of black rats in the area.

To put it simply, where there are black rats, there is likely also an Oriental Rat Flea. In densely populated areas, black rats are found in ditches, culverts and human settlements.

Mammal Blood Sucking Animals

The Oriental Rat Flea has a sensory organ called pygidium on its sides. The function of pygidium is to detect vibrations and air flow, especially carbon dioxide.

With this pygidium, the Oriental Rat Flea can tell if there is a potential host nearby. Once the Oriental Rat Flea finds a potential host, it will immediately jump onto the host and then stick there to suck the host's blood.

Oriental Rat Flea, Insects Behind the Black Death Plague

Thanks to its flat body, the Oriental Rat Flea can move through the fur of rat with ease. The mouth of the Oriental Rat Flea is equipped with sharp jaws to rip off the skin of its host.

In contrast to mosquitoes that eat by directly sucking blood from their host vessels, the Oriental Rat Flea eat by making a wound on the skin of its host so that its blood comes out. It is only when blood pools on the surface of the skin that the Oriental Rat Flea feed on the blood.

When injuring the skin of its host, the Oriental Rat Flea also injects saliva into the wound it creates. Oriental Rat Flea saliva contains anticoagulant substances so that the blood that comes out will not experience clots.

For humans, the bite caused by the Oriental Rat Flea is itchy and sore. If the bite from the Oriental Rat Flea is scratched, the skin around the scar will become irritated.

The Oriental Rat Flea will only perch on its host's body to eat. After it finishes eating, the Oriental Rat Flea will jump down from its host's body to rest somewhere else.

Read More: Glowworm, Luminous Trap Making Insects

The Oriental Rat Flea that live in human homes will usually nest in areas with soft surfaces, for example on mattresses, blankets, or clothing.

Oriental Rat Flea are also reluctant to be in places where temperatures reach more than 26 degrees Celsius. That is why apart from eating, these animals are reluctant to stick to their host's body for too long.

Oriental Rat Flea Life Cycle

The Oriental Rat Flea undergoes complete metamorphosis, which undergoes four stages in its life cycle: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.

After mating, the female will lay her eggs in a dark, humid place, and the temperature ranges from 18 to 26 degrees Celsius. If the Oriental Rat Flea lays its eggs in a human home, it usually chooses places such as in crevices in floors or under furniture.

After removing the eggs, the female will only leave the eggs and the larvae that hatch have to be independent. Oriental Rat Flea Eggs take between 2 and 12 days to hatch.

Oriental Rat Flea, Insects Behind the Black Death Plague (Larva)

The Oriental Rat Flea larva has a long body and has no legs or eyes, but has a mouth with powerful jaws to help it chew food. Even though they are blind, the Oriental Rat Flea larvae can detect light and will retreat to a darker place when exposed to light.

The diet of the Oriental Rat Flea larvae consists of adult flea dung and organic waste like the remains of other animal skins. As it increases in size, it will wither because the skin does not increase in size. Oriental Rat Flea larvae molt three times before entering the pupal phase.

In places where food is abundant, it only takes about two weeks for the Oriental Rat Flea to enter the pupal phase. However, if the environment in which it lives is unfavorable, the Oriental Rat Flea can undergo the larval stage for up to 6 months.

When it's time to turn into a cocoon, the Oriental Rat Flea larva will twist the thread to wrap itself around. The pupae of the Oriental Rat Flea can detect vibrations and nearby carbon dioxide gas to determine if a host is nearby.

When the pupal phase is complete and the cocoon senses the presence of its host, the cocoons will hatch into adult Oriental Rat Flea.

Oriental Rat Flea pupae only take between 5 and 15 days to hatch under ideal conditions. However, under extreme conditions, the Oriental Rat Flea can remain in the pupal phase for as long as one year.

Becomes the Cause of the Black Death Plague

Because the Oriental Rat Flea has a habit of perching on the human body to suck the blood of its host, this animal is also categorized as a dangerous animal for humans.

The reason is, in addition to sucking blood and leaving an itchy bite mark, rat fleas can also spread various kinds of dangerous diseases to humans. Starting from the bacteria Yersinia pestis, Rickettsia typhi, to the genus Hymenolepis.

The Oriental Rat Flea spreads the disease when it has recently bitten a rat whose body contains disease-causing organisms. When it sucks blood, pathogens in the blood will enter the digestive tract of the Oriental Rat Flea.

Watch Also Daphnia Magna, Giant Water Flea Videos

When the Oriental Rat Flea bites a healthy human, the pathogens in its stomach will then enter the human bloodstream, so that the person will then contract the disease.

The impact of the Oriental Rat Flea as a vector or agent of disease cannot be underestimated. In the 14th century, the continent of Europe was hit by the Black Death that killed more than 20 million local residents.

This number also makes the Black Death one of the deadliest disease outbreaks to ever hit Europe. Apart from hitting Europe, an epidemic similar to the Black Death has also attacked China, India, West Asia and Egypt.

Scientists from the National Academy of Sciences believe that the Oriental Rat Flea plays a large role in outbreaks, thanks to its small size and habit of roosting on multiple hosts at once.

Coupled with the hygiene standards of European society which were still poor at that time, the Oriental Rat Flea could reproduce easily and spread diseases that were passed from person to person without being prevented.

Oriental Rat Flea are known as animals that have a fairly high resistance to common insect venom. Even so, these animals can still be destroyed from human habitation.

Regular cleaning of pets and bedding is known to help reduce the Oriental Rat Flea population. Then, so that wild animals such as rats cannot sneak into the house with the Oriental Rat Flea, it is best if the narrow holes around the house are closed or screened. By: Ochie

#animals #Insect