The Silken Thread

Five Insects and Their Impacts on Human History

Robert N. Wiedenmann and J. Ray Fisher

Uses entomology to create a unique multidisciplinary approach to history
Illustrates the positive influence silkworms and honey bees have made on human cultures
Gives a different perspective on the roles of fleas and lice in plague pandemics
Explains the importance of the connection between mosquitos, sugar, and slavery
Explains the unique connection between yellow fever mosquitos and slavery
Analyzes the farming of honey bees and their impact on cultural norms

The Silken Thread

Five Insects and Their Impacts on Human History

Robert N. Wiedenmann and J. Ray Fisher

Description

Insects are seldom mentioned in discussions surrounding human history, yet they have dramatically impacted today's societies. This book places them front and center, offering a multidisciplinary view of their significance.

Diseases vectored by insects have killed more people than all weapons of war. Fleas are common pests, but some can transmit illnesses such as the bubonic plague. In fact, three pandemics can be traced back to them. Epidemics of typhus have been caused by lice. Conversely, humans have also benefitted from insects for millennia. Silk comes from silkworms and honey comes from bees. Despite the undeniably powerful effects of insects on humans, their stories are typically left out of our history books.

In The Silken Thread, entomologists Robert. N. Wiedenmann and J. Ray Fisher link the history of insects to the history of empires, cultural exchanges, and warfare. The book narrows its focus to just five insects: a moth, a flea, a louse, a mosquito, and a bee. The authors explore the impact of these insects throughout time and the common threads connecting them. Using biology to complement history, they showcase these small creatures in a whole new light.

On every page, the authors thoughtfully analyze the links between history and entomology. The book begins with silkworms, which have been farmed for centuries. It then moves to fleas and their involvement in the spread of the plague before introducing the role lice played in the Black Death, wars, and immigration. The following section concerns yellow fever mosquitos, emphasizing the effects of yellow fever in the Americas and the connection to sugar and slavery. After discussing the importance of western honey bees, the authors tie these five insects together in an exciting closing chapter.

The Silken Thread

Five Insects and Their Impacts on Human History

Robert N. Wiedenmann and J. Ray Fisher

List of Figures
List of Tables
Preface
Acknowledgments
Section 1: Silk and Silkworm
Chapter 1: Moth Spit
Chapter 2: Silk Roads
Chapter 3: Silk Goes East and West
Section 2: Oriental Rat Flea and the Plague
Chapter 4: In Reverse Order—The Third Pandemic First
Chapter 5: Not Just the Plague
Chapter 6: Sorting Out the Plague
Chapter 7: The Plague, One More Time
Section 3: Lice in War and Peace
Chapter 8: Lice in War and Peace
Section 4: Aedes Aegypti and Yellow Fever
Chapter 9: The Bridge Connecting Silkworms to Mosquitos
Chapter 10: Yellow Fever in the United States
Chapter 11: The Caribbean, Carlos Finlay, Walter Reed, and Serendipity
Chapter 12: William Crawford Gorgas and the Panama Canal
Section 5: Western Honey Bee
Chapter 13: Six-Legged Livestock
Section 6: Typing the Silken Threads
Chapter 14: Tying the Silken Threads
Bibliography
Index

The Silken Thread

Five Insects and Their Impacts on Human History

Robert N. Wiedenmann and J. Ray Fisher

Author Information

Robert N. Wiedenmann, Professor Emeritus, Department of Entomology, University of Arkansas, and J. Ray Fisher, Research Associate, Department of Entomology, University of Arkansas

Robert N. Wiedenmann is Professor Emeritus of Entomology at the University of Arkansas. He received a BS in ecology and PhD in entomology, both from Purdue University. He was inspired to write this book after teaching a course at Arkansas called, "Insects, Science and Society." He is Past-President of the Entomological Society of America. J. Ray Fisher is a postdoctoral researcher of entomology at the University of Arkansas. He received a BS in Zoology from Auburn University, an MS in entomology from the University of Kentucky, and a PhD in Entomology from the University of Arkansas. He teaches and conducts research on the evolution and diversity of arthropods.

The Silken Thread

Five Insects and Their Impacts on Human History

Robert N. Wiedenmann and J. Ray Fisher

Reviews and Awards

"The Silken Thread spins a tale of five insects familiar to almost everyone, while shedding a whole new light on each. The authors correct the mistakes, half-truths, and just-so stories that have become commonly held and do so in an engaging and approachable manner. This book will help scientists and non-scientists alike connect to the many ways that insects have influenced the societies of the world, changing them forever." - W. Wyatt Hoback, Associate Professor of Entomology, Oklahoma State University

"The impact of insects on historical events seems a sliver of a topic, but the authors reveal an expansive story of broad relevance. The five selected insects may be widely known, but the intricacies of their stories and their extensive and lasting impacts will amaze you, whether entomologist, environmentalist, historian, or general reader. Examples range from the influence of insects on trade and intersecting cultures, to modern scientific detective work and its incredible nuances in understanding medieval plague epidemics. This book is readable and will hold your interest." - Gimme Walter, Emeritus Professor, University of Queensland

The Silken Thread

Five Insects and Their Impacts on Human History

Robert N. Wiedenmann and J. Ray Fisher

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