John Golding Myers (1897-1942), an extraordinary exploratory entomologist.

Abstract

Abstract A biographical sketch is presented of the career of John Golding Myers (1897-1942), dealing with his early years in New Zealand and the start of his involvement in biological control at the Farnham House Laboratory in the UK (1926-1928), the years working on biological control in the Caribbean and Latin America (1928-1937) and his period in the Sudan as Government Botanist (1937-1942) until his untimely death at the age of 44. His main work on biological control was the search for biological control agents in natural habitats which could be introduced into the alien habitats of agroecosystems, which had been invaded by indigenous pests. To address this, Myers travelled extensively by boat and on foot in the Amazon region and the Guianas, which he considered the best approach to gathering in-depth understanding of the habitats and insects that he studied. In the Sudan, he continued this approach, walking many miles to survey areas of Equatoria Province not adequately serviced by road at that time. Hence, his insight into the options for the agricultural development of the region was based on a sound ecological and anthropological perspective. A feature of his time in both the Caribbean and the Sudan was the documented recommendations, many of which have stood the test of time. A full bibliography is included.