Archive of past Queensland Entomologists
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Alan Walter Sydney MAY (1916 – 1966)
Alan May was born and educated at Ipswich (Ipswich Grammar). Studied at University of Queensland, BAgrSc, 1939, WB Slade Scholarship holder 1937, M Agr Sc 1948 on cotton jassids, PhD 1961 on fruit flies. Student and later colleague of F.A. Perkins. Joined Department of Agriculture and Stock (Department of Primary Industries) 1936 as assistant in Entomology, Research Officer Entomology 1939. Investigations on buffalo fly at Kajabbi, pests of cotton and citrus Nambour and Gayndah until 1947 and as Entomologist and Senior Entomologist on tephritid fruit flies and pests of field and fruit crops until 1961 at Toowoomba. Then transfer to William Street HQ in Brisbane as Assistant to Director of Plant Industry Division, becoming Assistant to the Director General of the Department 1966. Died prematurely from leukaemia at age 50. International specialist in Tephritidae, their taxonomy, pest management, biology and native host plant relationships. Visited USA 1958 on tephritid study tour on behalf of Commonwealth and State authorities. President of Entomological Society of Queensland 1960, Foundation Secretary of the Australian Entomological Society 1965, member Royal Society of Queensland and committee member of the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science. Daughter Ann graduated in entomology from UQ in 1960s.
Biographies: Heather, N.W. 2000. May, Alan Walter Sydney (1916-1966) Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 15, MUP; Chadwick, C.E. 1968. Journal of the Entomological Society of Australia (NSW) 4:41-42; Daniels, G. 2004. Bibliography of Australian Entomology 1687-2000. Priv. publ., Brisbane, 1776 pp.