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History

The Lepidopterists’ Society was the idea of Charles L. Remington and Harry K. Clench when they were both students in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In March 1947, they mailed a letter to many lepidopterists of their acquaintance announcing the organization of an association to “promote the scientifically sound and progressive study of Lepidoptera by: (1) distributing a periodical on Lepidoptera; (2) facilitating the exchange of specimens and ideas by both the professional worker and the interested amateur in the field.” The association was proposed to be called The Lepidopterists’ Union, but the word “Society” was soon substituted for “Union.”

Within a month the first issue of the periodical was printed at facilities of the Harvard Biological Laboratory and distributed to interested persons and the Society came into being. The initial membership list contained 220 names. Soon thereafter, Harry Clench left Cambridge for further studies at The University of Michigan and Charles Remington carried on the organizing of The Lepidopterists’ Society. A Constitution and By-Laws for the Society were adopted at the first annual meeting in December 1950. The first president was James H. McDunnough of Canada. The international flavor of the Society is indicated by the fact that seven countries were represented by the first twenty five presidents.

The Society has always placed much emphasis on the science associated with Lepidoptera. As stated in our Constitution, “It shall be the purpose of the Society to promote internationally the science of lepidopterology in all its branches; to further the scientifically sound and progressive study of Lepidoptera; to publish periodicals and other publications on lepidoptera; to facilitate the exchange of specimens and ideas by both the professional worker and the amateur in the field; to compile and distribute information to other organizations and individuals for purposes of education and conservation and appreciation of Lepidoptera; and to secure cooperation in all measures tending to that end.”

There are now members in over 60 countries (the majority being from all 50 United States and 10 Canadian provinces). The Lepidopterists’ Society embraces a wide range of interests and viewpoints concerning the study and appreciation of moths and butterflies. The Society has always boasted dedicated amateurs among its ranks, often in leadership roles.

Presidents of The Lepidopterists’ Society

The following is a list of the persons serving as President of The Lepidopterists’ Society (compiled by John Calhoun).

  • 1951: James H. McDunnough, Nova Scotia Museum of Science, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
  • 1952: Heinrich E. Karl Jordan, Zoological Museum, Tring, Hertfordshire, England
  • 1953: William T. M. Forbes, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
  • 1954: Alexey Diakonoff, Rijksmuseum van Natuurlijke Historie, Leiden, Netherlands
  • 1955: Lauro P. Travassos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
  • 1956: Thomas N. Freeman, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
  • 1957: Alexander B. Klots, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, USA
  • 1958: Norman D. Riley, British Museum (Natural History), London, England
  • 1959: Eugene G. Munroe, Department of Agriculture, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
  • 1960: E. Walter Forster, Munich, Germany
  • 1961: Takashi Shirozu, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
  • 1962: John A. Comstock, Del Mar, California, USA
  • 1963: Henry B. D. Kettlewell, Oxford University, Oxford, England
  • 1964: John G. Franclemont, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
  • 1965: Frederick H. Rindge, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, USA
  • 1966-67: Don B. Stallings, Caldwell, Kansas, USA
  • 1968: F. Martin Brown, Fountain Valley School, Fountain Valley, Colorado, USA
  • 1969: David F. Hardwick, Canada Agriculture, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
  • 1970: Edmund B. Ford, Oxford University, Oxford, England
  • 1971: Charles L. Remington, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
  • 1972: Lloyd M. Martin, Los Angeles County Museum, Los Angeles, California, USA
  • 1973: John F. Gates Clarke, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA
  • 1974: Harry K. Clench, Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
  • 1975: André Blanchard, Houston, Texas, USA
  • 1975/76: Ronald W. Hodges, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., USA
  • 1976/77: Stanley S. Nicolay, Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA
  • 1977/78: James W. Tilden, San Jose, California, USA
  • 1978/79: Ian F. B. Common, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Res. Org., Canberra, Australia
  • 1979/80: Theodore D. Sargent, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
  • 1980/81: Carlos R. Beutelspacher, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
  • 1981/82: Lincoln P. Brower, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
  • 1982/83: Charles V. Covell, Jr., University of Louisville, Louisville, Kentucky, USA
  • 1983/84: Lee D. Miller, Allyn Museum of Entomology, Sarasota, Florida, USA
  • 1984/85: Donald R. Davis, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA
  • 1985/86: Clifford D. Ferris, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, USA
  • 1986/87: Douglas C. Ferguson, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA
  • 1987/88: Jerry A. Powell, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
  • 1988/89: Julian P. Donahue, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, Los Angeles, California, USA
  • 1989/90: Jaqueline Y. Miller, Allyn Museum of Entomology, Sarasota, Florida, USA
  • 1990/91: Ron Leuschner, Manhattan Beach, California, USA
  • 1991/92: Floyd W. Preston, Lawrence, Kansas, USA
  • 1992/93: Ray E. Stanford, Denver, Colorado, USA
  • 1993/94: Paul A. Opler, National Biological Survey, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
  • 1994/95: Frederick W. Stehr, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
  • 1995/96: John M. Burns, U.S. National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA
  • 1996/97: Eric H. Metzler, Columbus, Ohio, USA
  • 1997/98: James P. Tuttle, Tucson, Arizona, USA
  • 1998/99: Michael J. Smith, Roseville, California, USA
  • 1999/2000: John W. Brown, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA
  • 2000/01: Robert K. Robbins, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, D.C., USA
  • 2001/02: J. Donald Lafontaine, Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
  • 2002/03: Lawrence F. Gall, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
  • 2003/04: Susan J. Weller, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
  • 2004/05: James K. Adams, Dalton State College, Dalton, Georgia, USA
  • 2005/06: Felix A. H. Sperling, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
  • 2006/07: William E. Conner, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
  • 2007/08-2008/09: John Acorn, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
  • 2009/10-2010/11: John A. Shuey, Nature Conservancy, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
  • 2011/12-2012/13: Andrew D. Warren, McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, Gainesville, Florida, USA
  • 2013/14-2014/15: Todd M. Gilligan, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
  • 2015: Jonathan P. Pelham, Lynnwood, Washington, USA
  • 2016/17: John V. Calhoun, Palm Harbor, Florida, USA
  • 2017/18-2018/19: Brian Scholtens, College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina, USA
  • 2019/20-2020/21: Alma Solis, Systematic Entomology Laboratory, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC, USA
  • 2021/22-2022/23: Jean-François Landry, Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Ottawa, Canada
  • 2023/24-2024/25: Ivonne J. Garzón Orduña, Colección Nacional de Insectos, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico