Ximena McGlashan (October 25, 1893 – June 24, 1986), later Ximena McGlashan Howard, was an American

entomologist Entomology () is the scientific study of insects, a branch of zoology. In the past the term "insect" was less specific, and historically the definition of entomology would also include the study of animals in other arthropod groups, such as arach ...

, and a "butterfly farmer" based in

Truckee, California Truckee is an incorporated town in Nevada County, California, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 16,180, reflecting an increase of 2,316 from the 13,864 counted in the 2000 Census and having the 316th highe ...

Early life

Ximena Myrtle McGlashan was born in

, sixth of the seven daughters of Charles Fayette McGlashan and Leonora Keiser McGlashan. Her father collected butterflies and moths, so Ximena had access to samples to study from a young age. She earned a teaching certificate at San Jose in 1911, but did not pursue a teaching career.

Career

In 1911, Ximena McGlashan and her father started a business selling butterflies to collectors, which became the first commercial butterfly farm in the United States. She raised larvae in jars and boxes on the family property, and perfected her skills at preparing specimens for shipment. She promoted the idea as a profitable option for young rural women, because it required little investment to start, and no heavy physical work. She published a magazine for amateur entomologists, ''The Butterfly Farmer'', in 1913 and 1914. "My greatest aim has been to inspire a love for the beautiful in entomology," she explained of her work. They opened a museum for the tourists who came to their house to see the butterflies. A species of

Limacodidae The Limacodidae or Eucleidae are a family of moths in the superfamily Zygaenoidea or the Cossoidea;Scoble, M.J. (1992). ''The Lepidoptera: Form, Function and Diversity.'' Oxford University Press. the placement is in dispute. They are often ca ...

, ''Sibine ximenans'', was named for Ximena McGlashan by entomologist

Harrison Gray Dyar Jr. Harrison Gray Dyar Jr. (February 14, 1866 – January 21, 1929) was an American entomologist. Dyar's Law, a pattern of geometric progression in the growth of insect parts, is named after him. He was also noted for eccentric pursuits which includ ...

From her butterfly farm earnings, she paid her way to

Stanford University Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is consider ...

, where she earned a degree in entomology in 1916.

Personal life and legacy

Ximena McGlashan eloped with John Carey Howard in 1916. They had two children, John Jr. and Jeanne. Howard became a professor of military science at

University of California Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant univ ...

. Ximena was widowed when John died in 1952. She died in 1986, aged 92 years. The McGlashans' butterfly collection was held at the Nevada County Courthouse for many years. It was moved to

Donner Memorial State Park Donner Memorial State Park is a state park of California, US, preserving the site of the Donner Camp, where members of the ill-fated Donner Party were trapped by weather during the winter of 1846–1847. Caught without shelter or adequate sup ...

, and in 2015 to the Truckee Community Recreation Center. Ximena McGlashan's papers are archived at the Joseph Research Library, Truckee-Donner Historical Society. The McGlashan Butterfly Foundation in Truckee funds scholarships and grants for local students interested in entomology.Rick Mikula
''Garden Butterflies of North America: A Gallery of Garden Butterflies & How ''
(Willow Creek Press 2001): 53.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:McGlashan, Ximena 1893 births 1986 deaths Women entomologists American lepidopterists Stanford University alumni People from Truckee, California Scientists from California 20th-century American zoologists