Potatoe-bug maggots dropped by RAF bombers...
- Christoph Awender
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Potatoe-bug maggots dropped by RAF bombers...
Hello!
I am working through the daily reports of the Rüstungsinspektionen summer 1940 and read something weird/interesting.
On 21.August 1940 Rüstungsinspektion XII reports that cotton-wool balls with living maggots have been dropped. After some investigation the RüIn reports that they are potatoe-bug maggots.
I find this incident very interesting. If I remember right there was a potatoe-bug problem in germany during the war (am I right?). Were the allies responsible for it?
Any further infomation is welcome.
regards,
Christoph
I am working through the daily reports of the Rüstungsinspektionen summer 1940 and read something weird/interesting.
On 21.August 1940 Rüstungsinspektion XII reports that cotton-wool balls with living maggots have been dropped. After some investigation the RüIn reports that they are potatoe-bug maggots.
I find this incident very interesting. If I remember right there was a potatoe-bug problem in germany during the war (am I right?). Were the allies responsible for it?
Any further infomation is welcome.
regards,
Christoph
Bug Bombs
Christoph, this will get you going:
http://www.ento.vt.edu/Courses/Undergra ... age18.html
Bugs have been used since the beginging in warfare. My own intrest is honey bees, and even during Roman-Carthaginian naval wars the sailors threw pots with bees at each other. There's even a book about bees in war.
The link I provided has lots of info, some of which is no doubt rumor. The Japanese turned out fleas by the tens of millions, and Britain and the US probably did have large centers for producing potato bugs. Did the Germans experiment with lice for vectoring typhus?
Some one on the board will have to look into it.
Best
Dan
http://www.ento.vt.edu/Courses/Undergra ... age18.html
Bugs have been used since the beginging in warfare. My own intrest is honey bees, and even during Roman-Carthaginian naval wars the sailors threw pots with bees at each other. There's even a book about bees in war.
The link I provided has lots of info, some of which is no doubt rumor. The Japanese turned out fleas by the tens of millions, and Britain and the US probably did have large centers for producing potato bugs. Did the Germans experiment with lice for vectoring typhus?
Some one on the board will have to look into it.
Best
Dan
Also, the Brits blamed the Germans:
http://cns.miis.edu/research/cbw/agchron.htm
The "potato bug" in American English isn't the same as the Colorado Potato Beetle, you'll want to keep that in mind while searching. Our "potato bug", or Jerusalam Cricket, is a huge scarry looking thing with enormous black fangs, but doesn't breed or move enough to allow it to be used as airborn shock troops.
Dan
http://cns.miis.edu/research/cbw/agchron.htm
The "potato bug" in American English isn't the same as the Colorado Potato Beetle, you'll want to keep that in mind while searching. Our "potato bug", or Jerusalam Cricket, is a huge scarry looking thing with enormous black fangs, but doesn't breed or move enough to allow it to be used as airborn shock troops.
Dan
- Christoph Awender
- Forum Staff
- Posts: 6761
- Joined: 10 Mar 2002, 18:22
- Location: Austria
- Contact:
great..
Thank you Dan...very informative!
- Brian Von Stauffenberg
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- Location: UK
Fascinating topic
Its little tidbits like this that add real historical meat to the bones of researching WW2, good post Dan.
Bugs
Thanks all
There were more positive uses of insects though. Honey was used to treat wounds early in the war, and when antibiotics weren't available. Also, especially in Slavic countries propolis, which is also a product of the honey bee, was used extensively to heal difficult wounds, and even today is a major source of income for bee keepers in those countries.
Regards
Dan
There were more positive uses of insects though. Honey was used to treat wounds early in the war, and when antibiotics weren't available. Also, especially in Slavic countries propolis, which is also a product of the honey bee, was used extensively to heal difficult wounds, and even today is a major source of income for bee keepers in those countries.
Regards
Dan
Re: Fascinating topic
I agree. That is a nice way of putting it.Brian Von Stauffenberg wrote:Its little tidbits like this that add real historical meat to the bones of researching WW2, good post Dan.