Insect–plant Relationship – Chance and Necessity

From the early 1920s, Europe was furiously struggling with the invasion of the Colorado potato beetle and then soon took cognisance of its inevitable triumph with resignation. All over Europe, laboratories were established and talented entomologists attempted to discover the “Achilles-heel” of the new pest devastating potato fields and threatening the potato industry. In 1947, the first scouts of the species were noticed in Western Hungary too. Authorities quickly established a temporary laboratory in the local mansion house at Hédervár and measures were taken to eliminate spots of infestation. The first elementary studies with the species were made by two entomologists who worked while being closely watched by officials of the Hungarian KGB! One of them was TIBOR JERMY. In spite of the atmosphere of paranoia of those years (the communist authorities insisted that the turn up of the Colorado potato beetle in Hungary was the result of the cover action of the American “war-mongers”), the first connection with the Colorado potato beetle resulted in a lifetime bond and stimulated a research rich in ideas and results. TIBOR JERMY’s special and most important scientific field was born then and there. Although he was a tremendously busy writer on very varied topics at that time (see his complete publication list at the end of this volume), important experimental and theoretical achievements were frequently connected with this particular species. The most important results concerning how insects use host plants, including behavioural and developmental observations, were born by studying the Colorado potato beetle. One cannot also dismiss the idea that the conceptual flourishing of later years must have been rooted in those times. Based on TIBOR JERMY’s suggestions and plans, a permanent laboratory was opened in Keszthely (West Hungary) in 1958 where quieter atmosphere and fine colleagues helped him to further deepen knowledge about the Colorado potato beetle, as well as basic biology and autecology of several other insect species. Other entomologists, as well as the papers published from this period, univocally prove that he was full of clever ideas, which then were manifested in very simple experiments. His proverbial patience, and endurance under harsh conditions, led to the production of heaps of notebooks full of results, but these were never published; once knowing the outcome of an experiment he was too eager to carry on with the next, instead of writing yet another paper.