📜 History of Entomology in India
Welcome to this deep dive into the fascinating history of insect study in India! this post chronicles the milestones, pioneers, and publications that shaped Indian entomology from the 18th century to the modern era.
🕰️ Early Beginnings (1758 – 1800)
The scientific study of insects in India has roots going back over two centuries. Here is how it all began:
1758: The earliest record of Indian insects appeared in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae by Linnaeus, which included only 12 Indian insects
. 1779: Dr. J.G. Koenig (Medical Officer) initiated the work on Indian insects on scientific lines. He also published a special account of the termites of Thanjavur District
. 1782: Dr. Kerr published an account of the lac insect
. 1785: The Asiatic Society of Bengal was started in Calcutta. Many papers were published in the Society's publications
. 1790: Roxburgh (Botanist) published a detailed account of the lac insect
. 1791: Dr. J. Anderson issued a monograph on Cochineal scale insects
. 1800: Buchanan (Traveller) wrote on the cultivation of lac in India and on sericulture in some parts of South India
. Donovan published Natural History of Insects, which was the first contribution on the insects of Asia (later revised in 1842 by West Wood)
.
🏛️ The Era of Institutions and Monographs (1875 – 1900)
The late 19th century saw the foundation of key institutions and the documentation of specific insect groups.
1875: Foundation of the Indian Museum at Calcutta
. 1883: The Bombay Natural History Society was started. After the foundation of these two organizations, scientific studies received greater attention in India, with numerous contributions published in the Journal of the Bombay Natural History
. 1889: The Indian Museum, Calcutta, published the Indian Museum Notes in five volumes
. 1892: Hampson issued four volumes on the moths of India
. 1893: Rothney published on Indian Ants. This is noted as the earliest record of biological pest control in India (i.e., White ants attack on stationary items was kept free by red ants)
. 1897: Bingham issued volumes on Hymenoptera (Ants, bees, and wasps)
. Government Publications: The Government of India commenced the publication of the Fauna of British India series. Volumes on groups like Coleoptera (beetles), Hemiptera (bugs), and Odonata (dragonfly and damselfly) were published
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🚜 Rise of Applied Entomology (1900 – 1950)
The 20th century marked major progress in economic and applied entomology.
1901: Lionel de Niceville was posted as the first Entomologist to the Government of India
. 1903: This year contributed much to economic and applied entomology in India
. 1905: Establishment of the Imperial Agricultural Research Institute at Pusa (Bihar). Subsequently, this Institute was shifted to New Delhi as the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI)
. 1906: Publication of "Indian Insect Pests" and "Indian Insect Life" by Professor Maxwell Lefroy, Head, Division of Entomology, IARI, New Delhi
. State Entomologists: State Governments took up entomological work. The first Government Entomologists were appointed in:
Madras: 1912
Punjab: 1919
Uttar Pradesh: 1922
.
1914: T.B. Fletcher, the first Government Entomologist of Madras State, published his book "Some South Indian Insects"
. 1916: The Natural History Section of the Indian Museum was formed as the Zoological Survey of India
. 1921: Formation of the Indian Central Cotton Committee to investigate pests of cotton
. 1925: Establishment of the Indian Lac Research Institute
. 1940: Dr. T.V. Ramakrishna Ayyar published the book "Handbook of Economic Entomology", meeting the long-felt need of agriculture students and scientists
. 1946: The Government of India started the "Directorate of Plant Protection"
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📚 Modern Contributions (1960s)
1960: Monograph "The Desert Locust in India" by Y.R. Rao
. 1968: Dr. M.S. Mani's "General Entomology"
. 1969:
Dr. H.S. Pruthi's "Textbook of Agricultural Entomology"
. Dr. Pradhan's "Insect Pests of Crops"
. "The monograph on Indian Thysanoptera" by Dr. T.N. Ananthakrishnan
.
🧠 Knowledge Check: MCQs
Test your knowledge of the history of entomology with these questions based on the notes above!
1. Who is considered the first Entomologist to the Government of India (1901)?
A. T.B. Fletcher
B. Lionel de Niceville
C. Maxwell Lefroy
D. Dr. J.G. Koenig
2. In which year was the Imperial Agricultural Research Institute established at Pusa (Bihar)?
A. 1901
B. 1905
C. 1912
D. 1916
3. Who published the book "Indian Insect Pests" and "Indian Insect Life" in 1906?
A. Dr. T.V. Ramakrishna Ayyar
B. Hampson
C. Professor Maxwell Lefroy
D. Bingham
4. The earliest record of biological pest control in India (1893) involving red ants and white ants was documented by:
A. Rothney
B. Roxburgh
C. Dr. Kerr
D. Buchanan
5. Which institution was formed from the Natural History Section of the Indian Museum in 1916?
A. Indian Lac Research Institute
B. Asiatic Society of Bengal
C. Zoological Survey of India
D. Bombay Natural History Society
6. Dr. T.V. Ramakrishna Ayyar published which famous book in 1940?
A. Some South Indian Insects
B. General Entomology
C. Handbook of Economic Entomology
D. Insect Pests of Crops
Answers:
B (Lionel de Niceville)
B (1905)
C (Professor Maxwell Lefroy)
A (Rothney)
C (Zoological Survey of India)
C (Handbook of Economic Entomology)
