International Palaeoentomological Society—20 years after

Abstract

Fossilised insects probably brought man’s attention since the prehistory, since first amber with an insect entombed in resin was found. Amber was collected and used by humans first in the Upper Paleolithic period, perhaps as long ago as 20,000 years (Beck et al., 2009; Burdukiewicz, 2009; Płonka & Kowalski, 2017). The written testimonies on amber inclusions goes back to Ancient Rome (Plinius Secundus, 77). During 17th and 18th centuries the inclusions in amber were noted by philosophers (Bacon, 1638), their values discussed and illustrated (e.g., Sendel, 1742) and their importance to understanding the history of life pointed (Kant in Hagen, 1821). Shortly after Linnaeus “Systema Naturae” editions, the first research using binomial names for insect included in the copal was published (Bloch, 1776) and Pleistocene record of Recent beetle was noted by Fabricius (1775). Notes and information on fossil insects from imprints and amber were presented by Lang (1708), Bertrand (1763), Linnaeus (1778) and Volta (1796). The first regular description of beetle inclusion in Baltic amber came from Gravenhorst (1806) and works of de Serres (1828, 1829) seems to be the first with more detailed overview and description of insects as adpression fossils. Therefore, human’s palaeoentomological interests predates official beginning of modern taxonomy and palaeoentomology as science is as old as modern entomology (Azar et al., 2018).