Charles Lester Marlatt
Encyclopedia
Charles Lester Marlatt was an American
entomologist
. Born in 1863 at Atchison
, Kansas
, he was educated at Kansas State Agricultural College
(B.S., 1884; M.S., 1886), where he was assistant professor for two years. He is the person who introduced the ladybird
insect into the United States
to control the San Jose scale
insect, which was first discovered in San Jose, California
in 1880 by John Henry Comstock
and named by him. Marlatt worked for the Bureau of Entomology
, United States Department of Agriculture
. In 1912 he was appointed chairman of the Federal Horticultural Board. He was president of the Entomological Society of Washington in 1897–98 and of the Association of Economic Entomologists in 1899.
His 1907 description of periodic cicadas
remains a classic in the field. In this article, Marlatt proposed a grouping of periodic cicadas into 30 different broods, each given a Roman numeral. Broods I-XVII assigned brood numbers for each of 17 sequential calendar years to 17-year cicadas. Broods XVIII-XXX assigned 13 sequential calendar years to 13-year cicadas. Subsequent research has established that, in fact, not every year produces a brood of periodical cicadas. There are only 15 distinct broods, not 30, but Marlatt's scheme continues to be used.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
entomologist
Entomology
Entomology is the scientific study of insects, a branch of arthropodology...
. Born in 1863 at Atchison
Atchison, Kansas
Atchison is a city situated along the Missouri River in the eastern part of Atchison County, located in northeast Kansas, in the Central United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 11,021. It is the county seat and most populous city of Atchison County...
, Kansas
Kansas
Kansas is a US state located in the Midwestern United States. It is named after the Kansas River which flows through it, which in turn was named after the Kansa Native American tribe, which inhabited the area. The tribe's name is often said to mean "people of the wind" or "people of the south...
, he was educated at Kansas State Agricultural College
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
(B.S., 1884; M.S., 1886), where he was assistant professor for two years. He is the person who introduced the ladybird
Coccinellidae
Coccinellidae is a family of beetles, known variously as ladybirds , or ladybugs . Scientists increasingly prefer the names ladybird beetles or lady beetles as these insects are not true bugs...
insect into the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to control the San Jose scale
San Jose scale
San Jose scale is a hemipterous insect in the family Diaspididae. It is an agricultural pest as it causes damage and crop losses to many fruit crops.-Distribution:...
insect, which was first discovered in San Jose, California
San Jose, California
San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...
in 1880 by John Henry Comstock
John Henry Comstock
John Henry Comstock was an eminent researcher in entomology and arachnology and a leading educator. His work provided the basis for classification of butterflies, moths, and scale insects.-Early life and education:...
and named by him. Marlatt worked for the Bureau of Entomology
Bureau of Entomology
The Bureau of Entomology was a unit within the Federal government of the United States from 1894 to 1934. It developed from a section of the Department of Agriculture which had been working on entomological researches and allied issues relating to insects....
, United States Department of Agriculture
United States Department of Agriculture
The United States Department of Agriculture is the United States federal executive department responsible for developing and executing U.S. federal government policy on farming, agriculture, and food...
. In 1912 he was appointed chairman of the Federal Horticultural Board. He was president of the Entomological Society of Washington in 1897–98 and of the Association of Economic Entomologists in 1899.
His 1907 description of periodic cicadas
Magicicada
Magicicada is the genus of the 13- and 17-year periodical cicadas of eastern North America. They are sometimes called "17-year locusts", although cicadas belong to order Hemiptera, while locusts are Orthoptera....
remains a classic in the field. In this article, Marlatt proposed a grouping of periodic cicadas into 30 different broods, each given a Roman numeral. Broods I-XVII assigned brood numbers for each of 17 sequential calendar years to 17-year cicadas. Broods XVIII-XXX assigned 13 sequential calendar years to 13-year cicadas. Subsequent research has established that, in fact, not every year produces a brood of periodical cicadas. There are only 15 distinct broods, not 30, but Marlatt's scheme continues to be used.