Hoverflies in Historical Books part 2.

Exploration of hoverflies within historical books & manuscripts, examining the scientific understanding each portrayed or intended. 

In my research for articles about individual hoverfly species, I always widen the search looking for any historical or cultural contexts. This broader approach often uncovers fascinating references to hoverflies in old historical manuscripts and early books, hidden gems that reveal stories and observations worthy of a deeper investigation. 

If you haven’t read Hoverflies in Historical Books part 1 – now is the perfect moment to do so and get up to speed with the journey so far.

For those who have read part 1, thank you – here is a brief recap.

The simple question was:  What is the oldest hoverfly ever recorded in print? 

Our search in the story so far paused in 1720 with Eleazar Albin’s 'A Natural History of English insects'  illustrating observed behaviour in the White-clubbed Glasswing (Scaeva pyrastri) 

But the question still to be answered is - are there any older references to hoverflies hidden within earlier texts?

Let’s find out….

Jan Swammerdam (1637–1680) was a Dutch microscopist, who used his skills to explore the internal anatomy of insects, which he documented in his monumental work Biblia Naturae (The Book of Nature).

The book was published posthumously in 1737-38, 57 years after his death, originally in Dutch before being translated into Latin. It was edited by Herman Boerhaave, who was a significant contributor to medical science having isolated urea from urine and was the first person to use thermometers to measure clinical symptoms in patients. 

I know this book is later than E.Albin’s, my maths is not that bad, but it wasn’t through want of trying that it wasn’t published until after his death. Reading Jan’s bibliography, it would seem he was a bit of a perfectionist, had strong religious beliefs which forbade him to study science, suffered from malaria and on top of that had editorial issues. I think we can say if Jan could have, he probably would have published his book during his lifetime. He died at the young age of 43.

Swammerdam’s study of the "drone fly" (Eristalis) was particularly revolutionary. By dissecting the larvae and following their development from pupal stage to the adult fly he was able to prove the distinct stages in an insect’s life – egg, larva, pupa and adult. By carefully examining the larvae, Swammerdam was able to show that the structures of the future adult (such as wings, legs, and body parts) were already present inside, developing gradually. This debunked the prevailing belief in spontaneous generation and provided early evidence of metamorphosis as a developmental process rather than a magical transformation. 

The book was translated into English and published 1758 as ‘The History of Insects’

Source: Internet Archive

https://archive.org/details/booknaturehisto00swam/page/XXI/mode/1up

At the same time Maria Sibylla Merian (1647–1717) was creating wonderfully illustrated manuscripts (using copperplate engraving then hand-coloured with watercolours) about insects interacting with their host plants. Like artists of the day, she was documenting insects without knowing anything about their classification. She frequently included small flies visiting blossoms alongside butterflies, moths, beetles and bees, within these illustrations. As shown below the insect has one visible pair of wings, large compound eyes, short antennae, and is hovering around a flower.

Source: Stadel Museum

Catchfly with admiral, rose with fox moth, iris, hoverfly, jewel beetle and orchid - Digital Collection

Her catalogue of illustrations shows pollinator guilds, many insects sharing the same flowering plant. They are not marginal curiosities in her work but form part of ecological associations with that plant. Interestingly Carl Linnaeus half a century later cited Maria’s illustrations for several plants and animal species, 10 species are named after her. 

To find out more about Maria:

Maria Sibylla Merian: metamorphosis unmasked by art and science | Natural History Museum

Maria Sibylla Merian’s *Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium* (1705) — The Public Domain Review

But again, with the kind support of Dr.J.Whitelock I came across a book called Mira Calligraphiae Monumenta a sixteenth-century calligraphic manuscript inscribed by Georg Brocskay (1510-1575) and illuminated by Joris Hoefnagel (1542-1600). Now there is a very interesting aspect to the production of this book, as both the calligrapher and the illustrator never actually met.

The book Mira Calligraphiae Monumenta (Model Book of Calligraphy 1561-62) was created by Georg Bocskay a Hungarian born calligrapher and scribe. He created the book whilst serving as secretary to the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand I. He created a collection of scripts to show style and ability, comprised mainly of psalms and prayers. Below are some of those styles.

Source: The Getty Museum Collection

The calligraphy is just stunning, each page different, well worth a look if you like fonts. However, it was not until Joris Hoefnagel (1542-1600) a Flemish polymath and artist serving under the then Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II that Bocksay’s calligraphy book became illustrated with hoverflies, or any other fauna and flora. The work started 15 years after Bocskay’s death in 1590. Rudolf was curious about the natural world and had a passion for collecting, creating a ‘kunstkammer’, the cabinet of curiosities and a ‘kunstkabinett’ known as wonder rooms. So, he commissioned Joris to illustrate the Bocksay manuscript.

Hoefnagel created these 3D illusions by illustrating shadows to the subjects and was one of the first illustrators to give prominence to insects. This manuscript was produced on vellum, often used in medieval manuscripts.

Part of Folio 4 - Fly or Blister Beetle, and Bindweed

Part of Folio 7 - Fly, Caterpillar, Pear, and Centipede

Part of Folio 100 -  Potter Wasp, Hover Fly

Source: The Getty Museum Collection

This manuscript contains numerous illustrations of fruit, along with many butterflies and caterpillars, but only three hoverflies. These insects each have a single pair of wings and yellow abdominal markings — features characteristic of hoverflies and suggestive of their mimicry of bees and wasps. However, none of the illustrations have ever been identified to species level, leaving open the question of their accuracy.

The illustrations bear no apparent relationship to the accompanying text, nor is there any explanation provided for their inclusion. As such, they could be interpreted purely as decorative elements. Nevertheless, as they appear within a manuscript, I have chosen to include and discuss them in this article.

This book can be read in full at:

Mira calligraphiae monumenta (Getty Museum)

Mira Calligraphiae Monumenta PDF | PDF | Letter Case | Manuscript

Joris also produced works called Animalia Rationalis et Insecta (Ignis) 1575 where I have identified 10 common hoverflies (plates 58-69) and in Vol.II, Animalia Quadrvpedia et Reptila (plate 640) the long-tailed maggot of the Common Dronefly. So, I am not sure why in the Model Book of Calligraphy’s hoverflies should be unidentifiable, it is a bit of a mystery.

Comments below if you have any insights, I would love to hear them.

Source: National Gallery of Art

Animalia Rationalia et Insecta (Ignis) - Associated Artworks | National Gallery of Art

Summary:

We began with Jan Swammerdam, whose careful use of dissection helped to disprove spontaneous generation and establish the revolutionary scientific concept of metamorphosis in 1737. Maria Sibylla Merian uses her prints like Eleazar Albin to show insects in association with their host plants, publishing her work in 1705. Yet the earliest known illustrated reference to hoverflies appears in J. Hoefnagel’s contributions to the Mira Calligraphiae Monumenta (1591–96).

The 16th Century unfortunately seems to be where the story ends or does it? …..maybe there are older references to hoverflies out there, yet to be discovered. While we have not reached as far back as 1440 and the invention of the printing press, Merian’s work remains, to my knowledge, the earliest example of hoverflies both observed and described in a recorded scientific context.

For sure we have preceded Linneaus hoverfly classification by a good 200 years. He first classified them in 1758 in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, before they were given the family Syrphidae name by Pierre Andre Latreille in 1802. 

As with Hoefnagel’s illustrations, any earlier material is likely to lean more towards art than science. It is entirely possible that written descriptions of hoverflies exist, without accompanying illustrations, quietly preserved in overlooked texts, still waiting to be found.

This is where I would appreciate your help, so please do not hesitate to get in touch or drop me a line if you know of any further references large or small, it would be greatly appreciated.

This article will be updated as and when we find more books, texts, paintings or illustrations that signify the presence of a hoverflies. 

Before I close, I wish to extend my gratitude to people who have contributed to this article through messages and emails. In particular to Dr. Jill Whitelock who has been a massive contributor and without whom this article would not exist. So, thank you all.

If you desire more Historical Hoverflies, then please click on the (Link) to discover what was the oldest painting of a hoverfly or Hoverflies in Books part 1 if you haven’t read that one.

Until next time happy Hoverfly Spotting. 

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