MARIA SIBYLLA MERIAN (1647-1717)
Water Hyacinth with Marbled or Veined Tree-Frogs and Giant Water-Bugs
1702-03RCIN 921213
Merian caught Giant Water-Bugs (Lethocerus grandis) in May 1701. They are among the largest insects in the world – shown as usual at life size in Merian’s illustration. She also reared the frogs from spawn, describing how she raised them on submerged turf and fed the tadpoles with bread.