Charles Henry Fernald (March 15, 1838 – February 22, 1921) was an American entomologist,

geologist A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid, liquid, and gaseous matter that constitutes Earth and other terrestrial planets, as well as the processes that shape them. Geologists usually study geology, earth science, or geophysics, althoug ...

, and

zoologist Zoology ()The pronunciation of zoology as is usually regarded as nonstandard, though it is not uncommon. is the branch of biology that studies the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and d ...

, who is credited as the first college professor of

economic entomology Economic entomology is a field of entomology, which involves the study of insects that benefit or harm humans, domestic animals, and crops. Insects that cause losses are termed as pests. Some species can cause indirect damage by spreading diseases ...

. Fernald grew up at Fernald Point in

Mount Desert, Maine Mount Desert is a town on Mount Desert Island in Hancock County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,146 at the 2020 census. Incorporated in 1789, the town currently encompasses the villages of Otter Creek, Seal Harbor, Northeast Harb ...

, and went on to prepare for college at Maine Wesleyan Seminary before joining the navy in 1862. After receiving a master's degree from Bowdoin College he went on to serve as principal of several academies in Maine. Throughout his career he would document and describe several species of

microlepidoptera Microlepidoptera (micromoths) is an artificial (i.e., unranked and not monophyletic) grouping of moth families, commonly known as the 'smaller moths' (micro, Lepidoptera). These generally have wingspans of under 20 mm, and are thus harder to ...

and in 1886 became the first full-time professor and chair of the natural sciences at what is now the

University of Massachusetts Amherst The University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst, UMass) is a public research university in Amherst, Massachusetts and the sole public land-grant university in Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Founded in 1863 as an agricultural college, ...

. Fernald Hall and the Fernald Entomological Society at the same institution, are named for him and his son, Henry Torsey Fernald, who would later hold the same position as his father. His wife, Maria Elizabeth Fernald, was a noted entomologist in her own right.

Selected works

Textbooks

''The Butterflies of Maine''
(1884)
''The Grasses of Maine''
(1885)
''The Sphingidæ of New England''
(1886)
''The Orthoptera of New England''
(1888)
''The Crambidæ of North America''
(1896)
''The Gypsy Moth''
coauthored with Edward H. Forbrush (1896)
''The Pterophoridæ of North America''
(1898)
''A List of North American Lepidoptera''
contributor (1902)
''The Brown-tail Moth''
coauthored with Archie H. Kirkland (1903)

Bulletins

"The Grape-vine Leaf-hoppers"
Bulletin No. 2, Hatch Experiment Station of the Massachusetts Agricultural College (1888)
"Tuberculosis"
Bulletin No. 3, Hatch Experiment Station of the Massachusetts Agricultural College (1889)
"Household Pests"
Bulletin No. 5, Hatch Experiment Station of the Massachusetts Agricultural College (1889)
"Report on Insects"
Bulletin No. 19, Hatch Experiment Station of the Massachusetts Agricultural College (1892)
"Insecticides of the Horn Fly"
Bulletin No. 24, Hatch Experiment Station of the Massachusetts Agricultural College (1894)
"A New Pest in Massachusetts: The Brown Tail Moth"
Special Bulletin, Hatch Experiment Station of the Massachusetts Agricultural College (1897)

Articles

"Clothes Moths"
published in ''The Canadian Entomologist'', Vol. XIV, No. 9 (1882)
"A Synonymical Catalogue of the Described Tortricidæ of North America"
published in the ''Transactions of the American Entomological Society'', Vol. X (1882)
"The Evolution of Economic Entomology"
a presidential address given before the

American Association of Economic Entomologists The Entomological Society of America (ESA) was founded in 1889 and today has more than 7,000 members, including educators, extension personnel, consultants, students, researchers, and scientists from agricultural departments, health agencies, ...

, republished in ''Science'', Vol. IV, No. 94 (1896)

References

External links

Charles H. Fernald
YouMass, Special Collections & University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Charles H. Fernald Papers
Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst {{DEFAULTSORT:Fernald, Charles Henry 1838 births 1921 deaths American lepidopterists People from Mount Desert Island University of Massachusetts Amherst faculty Bowdoin College alumni Kents Hill School alumni 19th-century American zoologists 20th-century American zoologists