Charles Valentine Riley
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Charles Valentine Riley | |
 Charles Valentine Riley
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| Born | 19 September 1843 London |
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| Died | September 14, 1895 United States |
| Residence | United Kingdom |
| Fields | entomology |
Charles Valentine Riley (September 19, 1843, London - September 14, 1895) was an entomologist and artist.
He was born in London on September 19, 1843 and moved to the United States at the age of 17. At the age of 21, Riley began working for the Prairie Farmer, a leading agricultural journal as reporter, artist, and editor of the entomological department.
In 1868, he was appointed to the office of entomologist of the State of Missouri. He collaborated on the annual reports from Missouri, work which established him as one of the leading entomologists in the United States.
Riley studied the plague of grasshoppers that invaded many Western States between 1873 to 1877. He convinced the United States Congress to establish the United States Entomological Commission, which included a Grasshopper Commission, to which Riley was appointed chairman.
In 1878, he was appointed to the post of entomologist to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but he resigned after only a year because of a disagreement with the Commissioner. He was reappointed in 1881 and remained in the top post until 1894. He was also appointed the first curator of insects for the Smithsonian Institution in 1885.
He was one of the first to practice biological insect control, introducing a beetle that was the natural enemy to a scale that was damaging the California citrus industry. Because this method successfully reduced the scale, Riley is sometimes known as the "Father of Biological Control."
He was among the first to notice that the American grapes, Vitis labrusca were resistant to grape Phylloxera. His work with J. E. Planchon led to the use of grafting French grape on V. labrusca root stock. This effort helped save the French wine industry and for his efforts, Riley received the French Grand Gold Medal and was named a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor in 1884.[1]
A prolific writer and artist, Riley authored over 2,400 publications. He also published two journals, the American Entomologist (1868-80) and Insect Life (1889-94). Riley received many honors during his lifetime. He was decorated by the French Government for his work on the grapevine Phylloxera. He received honorary degrees from Kansas State University and the University of Missouri. He was an honorary member of the Entomological Society of London and founder and first president of the Entomological Society of Washington. He and Dr. L. O. Howard, Riley's assistant in the Federal Entomological Service, were among the founders of the American Association of Economic Entomologists, which became part of Entomological Society of America in 1953.
On September 14, 1895 Riley died in a fatal bicycle accident. As he was riding rapidly down a hill, the bicycle wheel struck a granite paving block dropped by a wagon. He catapulted to the pavement and fractured his skull. He was carried home on a wagon and never regained consciousness. He died at his home the same day at the age of 52, leaving his wife with six children.[1]
[edit] References
- ^ Smith, C. M. (2005) Plant Resistance to Arthropods. Molecular and Conventional Approaches. Springer.
