Giant water bugs

These are commonly known as Giant water bugs (Nepa grandis) in Edward Donovan's 'An epitome of the natural history of the insects of China'.

Edward Donovan (1768-1837) was a natural history illustrator, amateur zoologist and writer. The figures in these books are accurately drawn, engraved and coloured from specimens of over a hundred new, singular and beautiful species of insects, some of which were important in medicine and domestic economy at the time. Donovan based the text and illustrations for this book on information shared with him by George Macartney, Britain's first envoy to China.

The engravings in these books were hand coloured by Donovan and a team of employees, using thick paints, burnished highlights, albumen overglazes and metallic paints.