In Memoriam: Dr. Richard C. Axtell, 1932-2017

Abstract

Dr. Richard C. Axtell, a giant in the disciplines of medical and veterinary entomology, passed away on January 24, 2017. Dick was born August 4, 1932 in Medina, New York to the late Franklin and Marion (Thomas) Axtell. After receiving his B.A. (1954) and M.A. (1955) degrees in the biological sciences from the State University of New York at Albany, Dick received a Fulbright Fellowship (1955–56) as Visiting Instructor in Zoology, College of Agriculture, University of Philippines. He served two years (1956–58) on active duty in the U.S. Army (Medical Entomology Division, Army Chemical Center, MD). In 1959 he was admitted into the Department of Entomology at Cornell University as a Ph.D. candidate in the lab of the veterinary entomology pioneer George Matthysse. His doctoral research was on manure-inhabiting macrochelid mites (Acarina: Mesostigmata) predaceous on the house fly. He received his Ph.D. in 1962. In 1962, he was hired as an assistant professor by the Department of Entomology at North Carolina State University, where he remained for his entire academic career, obtaining the rank of professor in 1969. During his career at NCSU, he directed the research and training programs of 35 graduate students (15 Ph.D. students and 20 M.S. students) and 18 postdoctoral research associates in the field of medical and veterinary entomology. He published approximately 200 papers during his career, covering a wide diversity of arthropods of medical and veterinary importance (mites, house flies, tabanids, mosquitoes, biting midges, eye gnats, and ticks) reflecting his wide areas of interest. These publications included research papers, book chapters, and technical publications. He made more than 170 presentations at various scientific meetings. His research mainly emphasized the development of management programs for arthropods affecting poultry, livestock and humans and was well funded throughout his career by grants from at least 10 organizations and agencies. He also received support from industry and customer/stakeholder groups. His research program emphasized both basic and applied studies to support the development of sustainable management programs. He had research projects on poultry ectoparasites, house fly population management, and mosquito biocontrol agents. His research program focused on the integration of biological and chemical control of flies and mosquitoes. Dick was the first entomologist to propose IPM approaches for livestock and poultry pests and developed sampling methods and action thresholds for their implementation. He oversaw the development of computer simulation models of fly and mosquito population management and application of expert systems for pest population management in livestock and poultry production. After 34 years of faculty service, he became Professor Emeritus in 1996. He was an active member of many professional societies, including the Society for Vector Ecology (JVE Editorial Board), Acarology Society of America, Georgia Entomological Society, Society for Invertebrate Pathology, Florida Mosquito Control Association, Livestock Insects Biocontrol Coordinating Committee, South Carolina Entomological Society, and the North Carolina Entomological Society. He served as President of the American Mosquito Control Association (1982–83), Chairman of the National Livestock Insect Workers Conference (1982), Secretary (1985) and Chairman (1986) of Section D (Medical and Veterinary Entomology) of the Entomological Society of America, President of the Mid-Atlantic Mosquito Control Association (1988), and President of the North Carolina Mosquito and Vector Control Association (1976). During his career Dick received many honors, awards, and consultantships, and served on numerous advisory panels. His awards included Fulbright Scholar, Meritorious Service Award of the American Mosquito Control Association (1978), Distinguished Service Award of the North Carolina Entomological Society (1982), Award for Excellence in Integrated Pest Management from the South East Branch, Entomological Society of America (1987), and Lifetime Achievement Award in Veterinary Entomology from the Livestock Insects Workers Conference (1993). While very influential in both medical and veterinary entomology, Dick had the greatest influence on veterinary entomology. Many of our most accomplished veterinary entomologists can trace their roots back to him. Dick and his unique sense of humor will truly be missed.