"Die Landplage des Raupenfraßes" : Wahrnehmung, Schaden und Bekämpfung von Insekten in der Forst- und Agrarwirtschaft des preußischen Brandenburgs (1700-1850)

Abstract

Since the early days of agriculture and livestock breeding, human societies have been competing with other organisms for the resources produced. Profit cuts in agronomics and forestry and the loss of domestic livestock and game animals to frequent pest infestations and predators rendered the search for control measures a necessity. In Prussia during the early modern period, for example, locusts, sparrows, ravens, wolves, bark beetles and various caterpillars were often mentioned as pests in forestry and agriculture. Analyzing discussions about pest infestations reflects the contemporaries respective knowledge of special aspects of the natural world, their way of coping with natural hazards and as well societal changes in the valuation of nature. Previous research about pest control history often disregard the preindustrial period. A few existing analysis about the 18th century likewise this study reveal, that important preconditions for the later processes were formed in this time. The study examines the perception and distribution as well as the damage and control of insect pests in the two economic sectors. It concentrates on the Prussian State of Brandenburg between 1700 and 1850. The underlying sources are mainly handwritten administrative documents and printed forestal, agricultural and entomological books. Due to the content of the Prussian archival documents, the study focuses on the representative examples pine-caterpillars in forestry and migratory locusts in agriculture.