Wikipedia:POTD column/January 25, 2006



In most cases fleas are just a nuisance to their hosts, but some people and some animals suffer allergic reactions to flea saliva resulting in rashes, bites generally result in the formation of a slightly-raised swollen itching spot. However, fleas can transmit disease. One devastating example of this was the bubonic plague, transmitted between rodents and humans.

In 1664 Robert Hooke's Micrographia was the first book to describe the microscopic world and included many of his highly detailed hand drawn illustrations such as this flea. Micrographia was a bestseller in its day.

Illustration credit: Robert Hooke Archive - Nominate new image