Insect name question "Pulverin"

Just guessing here...but pulverin would probably be of the same  root as pulverise, meaning something like 'to make into a powder'.

From that, i'd deduce that the insects in question would probably be some type of termite or ant that 'powderises' wood or some other substance.

Peter
 

"Philip Griffin" <>
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04/06/2003 04:18 PM

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Subject	[BIRDING-AUS] Insect name question "Pulverin"

In the absence of insecting-aus....

This has nothing to do with birds, but as there are some fairly erudite
natural historian contributors to this list, I thought I'd take the liberty
of posting an entomological/linguistic question.

My father is currently reading "World Without End" by GILBERT FRANKAU,
1884-1952.
It's set in Paraguay apparently and mentions swarms of pulverins, which -
from the context - my father takes to be insects.  My searching, both on the
www and in dictionaries, has informed me that pulverin means powder, both in
French and Finnish and perhaps has a particular connection to gunpowder.  I
can't find any reference connecting the word to the insect world.

Anybody have a comprehensive guide to the insects of Paraguay?

Any other ideas on how to determine whether the presumed invertebrate
pulverin has an alternative name?

Many thanks

Philip Griffin

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