Republic of the Philippines

CENTRAL BICOL STATE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE

San Jose, Pili, Camarines Sur 4418
ISO 9001:2015 www.cbsua.edu.ph
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Week 1 THE SCIENCE OF ENTOMOLOGY AND ITS HISTORY

1. Introduction

In a world where insects outnumber humans, the study of entomology cannot be underestimated. Studying insects and
understanding how these creatures impact the environment could make all the difference in how people adapt and survive while
sharing the world with the countless bug species out there.We should study insects for many reasons. Their ecologies are
incredibly variable. 

2. Pre-competency Checklist (Formative Assessment/Diagnostic)

List down at least 5 insects that you know. In 2-3 sentences, explain why you consider them as insects.

3. Learning Resources

Entomology (defined)

The study of insects and related arthropods is the science of ENTOMOLOGY (Ross and Jacques, 1981).
ENTOMOLOGY came from the French word ENTOMOLOGIE. It is derived from two Greek words ENTOMON, which
means insect and LOGIA, which means study of. Entomon is neuter of entomos (having a notch or cut (at the waist) from en
“in” + temnein (to cut). The word insect came from a Latin word insectum, noun use of neuter of insectus. past participle of
insecᾰre which means to incise or cut (https://www.dictionary.com/browse/insect on Nov. 13, 2018)

Specialized Fields of Entomology

 Insect Morphology deals with the study of comparative anatomy and the development of an insect’s form and structure.
 Insect Physiology is the science which deals with the study of the physical and chemical changes in the insect body or the
functions of the forms and structures.
 Insect Ecology deals with the interrelationship of insects to its environment, including the changes of insect population,
particularly their abundance, regulation, distribution and mensuration.
 Insect Taxonomy studies classification, biology and evolutionary relationships among the higher insect taxa, including
taxonomic methods and curating insect collections.
 Insecticide Toxicology deals on the study of chemical drugs in agriculture, their chemical and physical characteristics,
formulations and biological effects and behavior, and how medical practices affect the life of insects and their environment.
 Forest Entomology deals with the study of the insect communities in the forest ecosystem.
 Medical/Veterinary Entomology deals with the study of insects and other arthropods that parasitize man and domesticated
animals, and those that serve as vector of human and animal diseases.
 Biological control of insect pests deals with principles and methods of the use of biological control agents for the control of
insect pests.
 Economic Entomology deals with the species that is actually or potentially important in beneficial or injurious manner.
 Industrial Entomology deals with life history, behavior and utilization of insects, which provide products useful to man such
as honeybees, silkworm and the like.

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 Republic of the Philippines
CENTRAL BICOL STATE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE
San Jose, Pili, Camarines Sur 4418
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History of Entomology with Emphasis on its

Development in the Philippines

Fossil records over 500 M years ago during the Cambrian period at the start of the Palaeozoic (1st phase of the 4 major
phases in geological time) revealed specimens of arthropods. The oldest insect fossils to have been found so far are dated to the
Devonian, a period that began 400 M years ago. However, the time scale over which different insect orders are detected in the
fossil record stretches up until 75 M years ago, during the Cretaceous period towards the end of the Mesozoic period. The fossil
of the silverfish was detected in the Devonian period while caterpillars have been detected in the Cretaceous period.
Developments in entomology started to flourish in the 17 th century (1697 and 1680 when Redi used insects in his
experiments to test the spontaneous generation theory. In 1698, Malpighi published anatomical studies on silkworm.
Swammerdam published his first study on insects. This was the first accurate investigation on insect anatomy.
The development of Philippine Entomology was accounted in 1981 by the late Dr. Bernardo P. Gabriel (Philippine
Entomologist vol. 4(6): 495-501), a distinguished professor of the Department of Entomology, College of Agriculture, University
of the Philippines Los Baños. His accounts started from the first recognizable written record of the Philippine Insects up to the
70s, as summarized by Fiegalan and Salinas-Labe (2006). The records were subdivided into 5 different periods, namely:
 Spanish Period (1521 – 1899: 6th –19th Century)
 Early American Occupation (1900 – 1920)
 Rise of the Filipino Entomologists (1922 –1940)
 War Setback and Rebuilding (1941 – 1960)
 Developments and Directions in the Sixties and Seventies (1961 –
1979).

Spanish Period (1521 – 1899; 16th – 19th Century)

YEAR MILESTONE
1521 Pigafetta’s account of Palawan leaf insects - the first recognizable written record of a Philippine insect
1569 Earliest recorded account of locust swarm in the Philippines (Panay Island)
1593 Spanish Priest Padre Antonio Sedeno first planted mulberry and introduced sericulture in the
Philippines.
1616 Philip III of Spain promulgated laws of the Indies which prescribed the work of churchmen, secular
persons and the Royal Treasury in connection with the extermination of locusts. Similar decrees were
promulgated in the following years - 1774, 1819, 1858, 1866 and 1888.
1942 Ordinances of Good Government promulgated by Governor-General Don Sebastian Hurtado de
Corcuera- revised by Governor General Don Fausto Cruzat y Gongora 1696- Ordinance provide that
men and women must be made to destroy locusts under penalties imposed for neglect. The Quota
was so many gantas of locust destroyed. Punishment for Alcalde-Mayor and Corregidor was

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CENTRAL BICOL STATE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE
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deposition from office and change in their residences.

1780 Augustinian Missionary Father Manuel Galliana introduced sericulture for the second time.
1781 Economic Society of Friends of the country (Sociedad Economico de los Amigos del Pais) founded
by Governor Jose Vasco y Vargas endeavored to promote sericulture in the Camarines (part of the
plan to encourage agricultural production including tobacco, cotton, spices and sugar cane).
1816 Johann Friedrich Eschscholtz - Russian entomologist; first entomological investigator to visit the
Philippines on the Russian Ship Rurik.
1826 Cochineal insect was first introduced and again in 1861, but did not succeed.
1830 Opening of the port of Manila to the world’s commerce - Foreigner other than Spaniards were
allowed to enter the country including foreign explorers.
1831 Hugh Cuming - English conchologist collected in many parts of Luzon resulting in the publication of
some important Philippines insects, e.g. Promecotheca cumingii (Baly) 1858.
1837 J. O. Westwood published characteristics of new insects from Manila, collected by Mr. Cuming (Proc.
Zool. Soc. London 5:30).
1848 German savant Hans Herman Behr stayed in the Philippines for two years collecting insects
specifically Lepidoptera.
1849 Successful introduction of a starling, locally known as “Martinez” - Aetheopsar cristatellus Linn.
from Southern China to control locust. This is the first attempt at biological control of insects in the
Philippines.
1851 Earliest known species of Philippine Hemiptera was published by W. S. Dallas derived from
Cuming’s material which got into the British Museum.
1856, 1862 Pierre Joseph Michael Lorquin, famous French entomologist visited the Philippines and also
worked on Lepidoptera.
1859 – 1865 The German entomologist, Carl Semper, collected insects in different localities in the Philippines
which resulted in several publications on Philippines insects especially by his brother, George
Semper.
1868 Brauer described Philippine Neuroptera and Libellulidae (Odonata).
1870 Hemiptera Insularum Philippinarum published by Carl Stal - famous Swedish entomologist (Father of
Modern Hemipterology) - from materials collected by Carl Semper.
1870-1871 Earliest report on Philippine Hymenoptera by F. Smith.
1875 Candeze, a Belgian entomologist first described Philippine Elaterids (Coleoptera).
1877 Stal published - Orthoptera Nova ex Insulis Philippines - first report on Philippine Orthoptera also
derived from Semper’s collection.

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French baron Edmond de Selys Longchamps first report on Odonata in the Philippines, also published
more on Odonata in 1891.

1882 C. R. Osten-Sacken first reported on Diptera from the Philippine Islands brought home by Dr. Carl
Semper.
1885 Ramon Jordana’s Bosquejo geografica e historico-natural del archipelago Filipino published in
Madrid - a general work on Zoology which included insects, the first of its kind by a resident worker.

1886 – 1892 George Semper, brother of Carl Semper, German entomologist published Die Schmitterlings der
Philippinischen der inseln; Rhopalocera. First extensive publication on Philippine Lepidoptera.
1890 Domingo Sanchez y Sanchez - assistant zoologist in the Government Forestry Service - published a
paper on the coffee longhorn borer. First published biological study of the insect pest.
1891 Odonates des Philippines by French Baron de Selys-Longchamps.
1894 – 1896 Boletin Oficial Agricola de Filipinas - monthly issue on Agronomical Service which contains general
articles on insects of economic importance.
1894 Jose Sanchez first study on the white grub, Leucopholis irrorata, as published on monthly issue of the
Agronomical Service.
1895 Francisco Alvarez studied the ecology and control of migratory locust. The first comprehensive
description on locust ecology.
1895 – 1896 Publication of Dominican Father Casto de Elera - Catalogo sistematico de toda la fauna de Filipinas
conocida hasta el presente (3 volumes). This is an extensive work on Philippine Fauna which included
several pages on Philippine insects. One of the two works done by local residents during the period.
1896 Baer Catalogue of Philippine Coleoptera. Also from Semper Collection.
1896 – 1902 George Semper’s second publication on Philippine Lepidoptera: Heterocera both milestones in
Philippine entomology.
1899 Lepidopteran der Inseln Palawan by Otto Staudinger who sent collectors to the Philippines for
materials in this publication
Additional Notes Towards the end of the 19th century, resident collectors appeared in the persons of Alexander
Schadenberg (one of the German founders of Botica Boie), Regino Garcia, Francisco Sanchez, S. J.,
Ateneo professor and his pupils, Jose Rizal and Drs. Leon and Luis Guerrero. None of them
published but placed their collections on the hands of foreign specialists.

Early American Occupation (1900 – 1920)

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YEAR MILESTONE
1902 Bureau of Agriculture organized. Control of migratory locust became one of its important activities.
First time that a microbial agent, a fungus, was used for the control of migratory locust.
Charles S. Banks, an American, was the first government entomologist in the Philippines. He
published on various aspects of economic entomology (including medical entomology and
systematics). Also organized entomology section in the Bureau of Government Laboratories (late
Bureau of Science, recently National Institute of Science and Technology. Later became Department
Head, Entomology Department, UPCA.
1903 – 1905 Father William A. Stanton and Father Robert E. Brown as sideline to their regular duties in Manila
Observatory published various notes on insects in the monthly bulletin of the Weather Bureau.
1904 Pests of cacao published by Banks.
1906 Founding of the Philippine Journal of Science where most of the taxonomic work on Philippine
insects were published especially during the early American period.
1907 Philippine Agricultural Review (later Philippine Journal of Agriculture (1930) now Journal of Plant
Industry founded in 1963. Most applied work in entomology of the Bureau of Agriculture were
published in this journal.
1908 First extensive publication on mosquitoes of the Philippines by C. Ludlow.
1909 Department of Entomology established with the U.P. College of Agriculture. First headed by E. M.
Ledyard.
D. D. Mackie - Chief entomologist of the Plant Pest Section of the Bureau of Agriculture tested
arsenical sprays for plant pest control.
1910 Entomology section of the Bureau of Agriculture was organized. Plant Industry Division first headed
by C. R. Jones and then succeeded by D. B. Mackie.
1911 Philippine Agriculturist and Forester was founded where entomological findings by staff of the
Department of Entomology at UPCA were published.
F. O. Cevallos presented the earliest works on the use of chemicals for pest control in this country.
Insecticides tested were kerosene emulsion, Resin wash, Bordeaux mixture, white arsenic, carbon
bisulfide.
1912 Second Philippine Legislature enacted the first Plant Quarantine Law, Act No. 2145.
Arrival of Charles F. Baker in the Philippines. Baker became Dean of the College of Agriculture, UP
in 1917. With the aid of the Cuban collector, Julian Valdez, whom he paid out of his personal funds,
he did more than any other individual to augment our knowledge of Philippine insect fauna. He
collaborated with 115 world authorities resulting in the publication of 400 papers on Philippines
insects.

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1913 M.S Mitzmain found that surra, a disease of carabao is striated, transmitted by the common housefly,
Tabanus striatus Fabricius. Mitzmain was the first to establish veterinary entomology in the country.
Beekeeping using imported Italian bees was first attempted in the Philippines by C. H. Schultz.

1915 Locust Act No. 2472 was enacted. This act conferred on the Bureau of Agriculture the power of
directing and supervising the locust campaign all over the country.
Leopoldo B. Uichanco was the First Filipino instructor in Entomology.

1916 – 1917 Catalogue of Philippine Coleoptera was published by W. Schultz

1917 Mackie developed a process of fumigating cigars in partial vacuum to destroy beetles.
Introduction of Scolia manilae into Hawaii by Muir.
1918 L.B. Uichanco was the first Filipino M. S. graduate in Entomology at UPCA.
Otanes elucidated the biology of the beanfly , still a serious pest of legumes.
1919 Plant Pest Section became a separate division of the Bureau of Agriculture with Gonzalo Merino as
the first chief. This was reorganized into 3 sections in 1924, namely: Plant Quarantine, Entomology
and Plant Pathology.
1921 (April 21) Hawaii Sugar Planter’s Association donated PhP 4,000.00 to the University to be utilized in
the construction of an insectary in Los Baños for furthering entomological work in the Philippines.
First donation to the University from a private source.
1921 – 1922 HE Woodworth published the first comprehensive host-index of insects injurious to Philippine crops.

Rise of the Filipino Entomologists (1922 - 1960)

YEAR MILESTONE
1922 Leopoldo B. Uichanco was the first Filipino to obtain a doctoral degree in Entomology.
Uichanco described new species of Psyllids. He was the first Filipino to describe Philippine
insects.

Cendaña reported the biology of banana weevil, a serious pest of banana in the country.

1923 Use of soap as an effective contact insecticide for the control of migratory locust. Soft yellow
laundry soap was found the most effective.

Introduction of Opius humilis to control melon fly.

1924 (March 8) Locust Scouting Act (Act 3163) was passed by the Philippine Legislature which

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provided PhP100,000.00 to locate and fight locusts. This was later superseded by other acts to
include other pests.
1925 First time an airplane was utilized in the control of migratory locust.
1926 Report of G. O. Ocfemia on the transmission of the bunchy top of abaca virus by an aphid,
Pentalonia nigronervosa.

First report of insect transmission of a plant virus in the country.

Insecticidal properties of Derris in the Philippines was reported by Castillo.

1927 Use of Paris green as larvicide for mosquitoes by Manalang.

1928 – 1929 Introduction of biocontrol agents by UPCA, Dept. of Entomology.
1929 Biology of the corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis, still the most serious pest of corn in the country
was studied by C. Bulligan.

Studies on the effect of dry heat on weevils in corn and corn seed by E. M. Paller.

Dammerman’s Agricultural Zoology of the Malay Archipelago included unpublished data of

Philippine insects from the Department of Entomology.

1931 De Mesa published “Wood borer and lumber industry” in the Makiling Echo 10(1): 15-19. First
report on forest insects.
Extensive biological studies of the white grub Leucopholis irrorata were done separately by
Uichanco and Otanes.
1932 Mutation studies on Philippine wild Drosophila was conducted by Clemente.
1933 First study on pesticide residue calculating the amount of residual arsenic on vegetable crops
dusted and sprayed with arsenicals was made by J. N Samson.
1934 – 1935 Forest host plants of injurious insects in the Philippines was published by De Mesa in the
Makiling Echo 13(4): 245-250; 14(2): 93-99 .
1934 & 1936 Russel and Baisas published the first illustrated key to the Philippine Anopheles
1934 Fajardo and Bellosillo first reported on mites of crop plants in the Philippines
Silverio Cendaña was the first Filipino trained in biological control of insects.
1936 Uichanco developed a theory on locust outbreaks in relation to sun spot cycle.
1939 Uichanco reported on the ecology of probable outbreak center of migratory locust
1941 Viado was the first insecticide toxicologist in the Philippines

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War Setback and Rebuilding (1941 – 1960)

YEAR MILESTONE
1946 Introduction of organic insecticides in the Philippines with DDT used against houseflies and
migratory locust
1947 Cendana and Baltazar reported on the cotton leafhopper. First published report on entomology
after World War II

C. R. Baltazar, first Filipina with college degree BSA major in entomology

Committee headed by Dr. S.M. Cendaña to look into the postwar activities of Philippine
entomology
1949 Phil. Agriculture Vol. 1 by Uichanco and Sacay contains information on Philippine insect pests of
crops
1951 Checklist of ants of Asia by Chapman and Capco
1952 U.P. Los Baños - Cornell contract started with three American visiting professors detailed in
succession from 1954 to 1959 at the Department of Entomology (J. G. Mathyssee, R. W. Dean
and B. V. Travis). Work were largely on economic entomology specifically chemical control.
Young Filipinos were sent for graduate training abroad (1954 – 1960).
1954 First studies conducted on plant resistance to insects by S. M. Cendaña using corn hybrid, and
inbred strain against corn earworm and corn borer.
1959 Extensive bibliography of Philippine Entomology compiled for the first time by R. M. Ela

A list of plant pests of the Philippines with special reference on field crops, fruit trees and
vegetables was written by S. R. Capco

Developments and Directions in the 60’s and 70’s (1961 – 1979)

YEAR MILESTONE
1960 Establishment of the International Rice Research Institute and Entomology research in the Philippines
was further boosted especially on insects affecting rice
1961 L. C. Rimando, first Filipino acarologist spearheaded research on mites in the Philippines
1962 July 22 - Founding of the Philippine Entomological Society (now Philippine Association of
Entomologists, Inc.), the first entomological organization in the Philippines with S. M. Cendaña as the
first President
1964 B. P. Gabriel, first Filipino insect pathologist

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International Symposium on the major insect pests of rice was sponsored by the International Rice
Research Institute
1966 Publication of the Catalogue of Philippine Hymenoptera (with a bibliography 1758 – 1963) by C. R.
Baltazar. The first catalogue of a major insect order done by a Filipino

Delfinado published the first monographic treatment of Philippine mosquitoes except Aedes

1967 First National Meeting of the Philippine Association of Entomologists held at the U.P. College of
Agriculture - August 12

First National Symposium in Philippine Entomology - Nov. 25

1968 Founding of the Philippine Entomologist, the first journal of entomology in the Philippines by the
Association of Philippine Entomologists with L. C. Rimando as its first editor
1970 Illustrated keys to the Anopheles mosquitoes of the Philippine islands by Cagampang and Darsie. A
comprehensive key on the important group of insects of medical importance
1971 Mosquito Fauna of the Philippines by R. G. Basio. An extensive treatment on all mosquito species
reported in the Philippines with notation on the bionomics and vector status of each species
1976 National Crop Protection Center was founded with Dr. F. F. Sanchez as first Director
1978 First Regional Meeting of the Philippine Association of Entomologists in Davao City - February 17

These developments led to what Entomology is today in the Philippines.

4. Explore (Tasks/Activities)
Getting-to-know Activity: Choose 10 Filipinos who had the most contribution to the development of Entomology in the
Philippines. Make a poster using canva.com for each them, containing their picture and their contribution/s.

5. Discussion Board
Form a group composed of 5 members and conduct a 3-5 minute debate on a particular issue. Two members will take
the positive side and the other two members, the negative side. The 5th member will serve as the arbiter or moderator. Record
the debate for submission. The issue to be debated on is on the importance of studying Entomology.

6. Post-competency Checklist (Formative Assessment)

Answer the following questions accordingly. Write your answer on the space provided before each number.

_____________ 1. The word insect was derived from the Latin word arthro (modified True or False).
______________2. The first recognizable written record of Philippine insects was accounted by this person.
_____________ 3. The first Filipina with a college BSA degree major in entomology is _________.

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_____________ 4. The successful introduction of Aetheopsar cristatellus from China to control locusts was
the first attempt of biological control of insects in the Philippines (True or False).
_____________ 5. The earliest recorded account of locust swarm in the Philippines was in _________island.
_____________6. The first Filipino Master of Science in Entomology graduate at the University of the Philippines
College of Agriculture, first Filipino to obtain a doctoral degree in entomology and first Filipino instructor
in entomology was ______.
_______________ 7. Insects were used by Redi in his experiments to test the Spontaneous Generation theory
(True or False).
_______________ 8. The first report of insect transmission of a plant virus in the Philippines was on the
transmission of abaca bunchy top virus by _________.
_______________ 9. The first recognizable record of the Palawan leaf insects was in the year _______.
_______________10. He is considered as the first Filipino insect pathologist.

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