German entomologist, naturalist and scientific illustrator Maria Sibylla Merian was born #OTD in 1647.
She was among the first naturalists to observe and document the metamorphosis of insects, particularly butterflies and moths. Merian's most famous works include "Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium" (Metamorphosis of the Insects of Suriname) and "The Caterpillars' Marvelous Transformation and Strange Floral Food."