The Lepidopterists' Society

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