Hoverflies in Books Part 1
When I first started my blog, I found myself wondering whether hoverflies existed in old historical books.Did they appear at all in early natural history texts?
I assumed that old identification guides might include a few illustrations, after all they were appearing in paintings (click here), but I also wanted to know whether they appeared in a scientific context as well. If they did appear in a scientific context in what way, what questions were being asked, and what were they adding to scientific debates in their day, if any. But the main question I wanted to answer was-
What is the oldest hoverfly ever recorded in print?
The printing press was invented by Johannes Gutenburg in 1440, a mechanical device for applying pressure to an inked surface resting upon a print medium, thereby transferring the ink. This device started the printing revolution, allowing books, pamphlets and newspapers to be produced quickly and cheaply. So that was my target could I get hoverflies in print going back to the 19th…16th…15th century! Join me to discover more as I leaf through dusty shelves in search of hidden wonders.
Here is what I have uncovered so far…..
