Insects and other invertebrates in Maltese culture and tradition Paul Portelli January 2020 “The research work disclosed in this publication is partly funded by the Malta Government Scholarship Scheme”. This copy of the thesis has been supplied on condition that anyone who consults it is understood to recognise that its copyright rests with the author and that use of any information derived there from, must be in accordance with current Maltese Copyright Law. In addition, any contribution, any quotation or extract must include full attribution. Copyright © 2020 Abstract This thesis explores human/insect relations in Malta. It discusses how insects are culturally embedded in Malta and how human relations with insects and other invertebrates are charged with emotionality. This emotionality determines the concepts of, and relations with nature and the environment as well as the use of insects as a resource. Relations also include the control of useful, noxious and harmful insects as well as the protection and conservation of endangered species. I also investigate how insects are culturally embedded in the Maltese islands by analysing the use of insects in play, language, literature, song, and rhyme as well as their depiction in stamps and coins and how this reflects on the role of insects in contemporary Malta. I also discuss how insects are conceptualised and categorised, their use as symbols, how they shape language and their role in myths, legends and beliefs as well as in various forms of creative arts including their use in tattoos, movies, stamps and coins and how changes in the socio-politics and economy change the role of insects in Malta. Finally I look into the way insects mould perceptions of place, nature and the environment and how insects, particularly the Maltese honey bee and its products, play a role in creating and maintaining Maltese place and identity. 2 Acknowledgements I would like to express my gratitude to the large number of persons who made this thesis possible. Foremost amongst these is Professor Mark Antony Falzon with whom I had long hours of discussions which were instrumental in shaping my work. My appreciation also goes to those individuals whom I interviewed. Many of whom lead very busy lives but still managed to find the time to answer my questions. A special thanks is reserved for the experts in various fields including Victor and Desire Falzon, naturalists and educationists both of whom have dedicated their life to helping children to become aware about nature, Dr Edwin Lanfranco with whom I discussed various topics, his brother Guido, who gave me invaluable information about human/insect relations in Malta and who allowed me to photograph a cricket cage from his collection, Paul Sammut, an expert in Maltese Lepidoptera, who promptly answered all my queries on butterflies and moths, Dr Mauro Buttigieg a veterinarian whom I contacted for information regarding insects and domestic animals, Arnold Grech the doyen of Maltese apiculture with whom I spent hours discussing beekeeping in Malta and Jorge Spiteri, Ray Sciberras, and Carmelo Zammit from whom I obtained direct experience of working with bees and who gave me precious insights about their relations with the bees. I would also like to express my gratitude to Josette Portelli and Gertrude Mizzi who helped me with the formatting of the final version of the thesis. Thanks also to Professor Henry Frendo, director of the Institute of Maltese Studies who encouraged me to start my PhD and the institute’s staff mainly Daniel Borg and Anne Yousif Patiniott who were always available to help. I would also like to acknowledge the support of the staff of various institutions who helped me locate research material, namely the Melitensia Section of the University of Malta Library, the National Library and the National Archives. Last but not least I would like to thank my twelve-year old son Thomas Luke for his patience who, when my work was nearing nearly finished told me “Papa, I do not know you not doing your thesis”. 3 Table of contents Abstract .................................................................................................................................... 2 Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................. 3 Table of contents ...................................................................................................................... 4 List of figures ........................................................................................................................... 6 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 7 1 Contexts .............................................................................................................................. 18 1.1 The Maltese Islands – Land and people ................................................................. 18 1.2 History.................................................................................................................... 22 1.3 Technical entomology .................................................................................................. 24 2. Methodology ...................................................................................................................... 47 2.1 Salient issues ...................................................................................................... 48 2.2 Core areas ........................................................................................................... 48 2.3 Core questions .................................................................................................... 49 3 Emotions of human/insect interactions ............................................................................... 56 3.1 Entomophily ........................................................................................................... 58 3.2 Fear and phobias and disgust ................................................................................. 69 3.3 Theories of emotion ............................................................................................... 77 3.4 Insect fears and society .......................................................................................... 88 4 Keeping, controlling and conserving insects ...................................................................... 97 4.1 Insects as a means of production ............................................................................ 97 4.2 Controlling insects ............................................................................................... 108 4.3 Insect conservation ............................................................................................... 138 5 Vernacular entomology ..................................................................................................... 157 5.1 Ethno-biological and folk classification .............................................................. 160 5.2 Insects in myths, legends and beliefs ................................................................... 167 5.3 Insect symbolism ................................................................................................. 172 5.4 Insects as inspiration ............................................................................................ 178 5.5 Playing with insects ............................................................................................. 188 5.6 Cultural keystone insects ..................................................................................... 192 6. Locating insects ............................................................................................................... 195 6.1 Changing the sense of place ................................................................................. 196 6.2 Beekeeping and the formation of an ethnic sense of place .................................. 201 6.3 Changing places ................................................................................................... 216 7 Conclusions ....................................................................................................................... 221 References ............................................................................................................................ 225 4 Appendix I - Field questions ................................................................................................ 267 Appendix II Annotated Checklist of Common Insects and other Invertebrates of Malta .... 278 Appendix III – Protected insect species ............................................................................... 303 Appendix IV – Insects as inspiration ................................................................................... 307 5 List of figures Figure 1 Research design ....................................................................................................... 47 Figure 2 Data sources ............................................................................................................. 51 Figure 3 Interviewees by gender ............................................................................................ 52 Figure 4 Interviewees by age ................................................................................................. 52 Figure 5 Interviewees by education level .............................................................................