Philip H. Timberlake
Encyclopedia
Philip Hunter Timberlake (1883-1981) was one of the most prolific American entomologists of the 20th century. He was born on June 5, 1883 in Bethel, Maine
, and died in 1981 in Riverside, California
, where he had served as an Associate Entomologist in the Department of Entomology of the University of California, Riverside
.
He obtained an A.B. degree in 1908 in Liberal Arts from Bowdoin College
with a major in Greek and Latin. In 1910 he received an A.M. degree in Biology from Harvard University
. From 1909-1914, Timberlake was employed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Bureau of Entomology
, as “Agent and Expert” conducting research in biological control of pest insects. From 1914-1924 he was Associate Entomologist at the Hawaiian Sugar Planters Experiment Station in Honolulu, where his research dealt primarily with biological control using parasites and predators. In 1924 he was appointed Associate Entomologist in the Department of Biological Control at the Citrus Experiment Station of the University of California, Riverside, where he served until retirement in 1950. He continued his regular work schedule afterwards, but his eyesight slowly failed in later years and in 1980, at age 97 years, it reached the point where he could no longer continue his work.
The appointment of Timberlake in the Department of Biological Control in 1924 was motivated by his extensive knowledge of the taxonomy of parasitic Hymenoptera
and of predaceous ladybird beetles
, groups of importance in biological control of pest insects. However, by the late 1920s and thereafter, he focused almost entirely upon the taxonomy
of native bee
s, especially the genus Perdita
. There are over 800 species of Perdita, most described by Timberlake, but also by T.D.A. Cockerell
. They are almost all specialist pollinators (oligoleges) of many species of plants, especially in the Sonoran desert
, where Timberlake carried out extensive collecting for decades.
He described and named about 800 species of bees in total over his career, and several other species in other insect groups. He published over 100 scientific papers, mostly on bees, in addition to 8 volumes on the genus Perdita alone. His colleagues and former students throughout the world have described over 50 new species of insects, named timberlakei as patronyms in his honor. His insect collection contained about 500,000 specimens of which about 150,000 were Hymenoptera
, including what was once the largest bee collection in North America, and this served as the foundation for the collection now housed in the University of California's Entomology Research Museum
, containing some 3 million total specimens.
His wife, Edith Timberlake, died in July 1972. She was an aunt of former President Richard M. Nixon, and the elderly scientist and his wife attended Nixon's Presidential inauguration at his invitation.
Bethel, Maine
Bethel is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,411 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of West Bethel and South Bethel...
, and died in 1981 in Riverside, California
Riverside, California
Riverside is a city in Riverside County, California, United States, and the county seat of the eponymous county. Named for its location beside the Santa Ana River, it is the largest city in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario metropolitan area of Southern California, 4th largest inland California...
, where he had served as an Associate Entomologist in the Department of Entomology of the University of California, Riverside
University of California, Riverside
The University of California, Riverside, commonly known as UCR or UC Riverside, is a public research university and one of the ten general campuses of the University of California system. UCR is consistently ranked as one of the most ethnically and economically diverse universities in the United...
.
He obtained an A.B. degree in 1908 in Liberal Arts from Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College
Bowdoin College , founded in 1794, is an elite private liberal arts college located in the coastal Maine town of Brunswick, Maine. As of 2011, U.S. News and World Report ranks Bowdoin 6th among liberal arts colleges in the United States. At times, it was ranked as high as 4th in the country. It is...
with a major in Greek and Latin. In 1910 he received an A.M. degree in Biology from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. From 1909-1914, Timberlake was employed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture 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....
, as “Agent and Expert” conducting research in biological control of pest insects. From 1914-1924 he was Associate Entomologist at the Hawaiian Sugar Planters Experiment Station in Honolulu, where his research dealt primarily with biological control using parasites and predators. In 1924 he was appointed Associate Entomologist in the Department of Biological Control at the Citrus Experiment Station of the University of California, Riverside, where he served until retirement in 1950. He continued his regular work schedule afterwards, but his eyesight slowly failed in later years and in 1980, at age 97 years, it reached the point where he could no longer continue his work.
The appointment of Timberlake in the Department of Biological Control in 1924 was motivated by his extensive knowledge of the taxonomy of parasitic Hymenoptera
Parasitic wasp
The term parasitoid wasp refers to a large evolutionary grade of hymenopteran superfamilies, mainly in the Apocrita. They are primarily parasitoids of other animals, mostly other arthropods...
and of predaceous ladybird beetles
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...
, groups of importance in biological control of pest insects. However, by the late 1920s and thereafter, he focused almost entirely upon the taxonomy
Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
of native bee
Bee
Bees are flying insects closely related to wasps and ants, and are known for their role in pollination and for producing honey and beeswax. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the superfamily Apoidea, presently classified by the unranked taxon name Anthophila...
s, especially the genus Perdita
Perdita (genus)
Perdita is a large genus of bees native to North America, particularly diverse in the desert regions of the United States and Mexico. There are over 700 recognized species and subspecies of Perdita, plus some 200 more as yet unnamed...
. There are over 800 species of Perdita, most described by Timberlake, but also by T.D.A. Cockerell
Theodore Dru Alison Cockerell
Theodore Dru Alison Cockerell was an American zoologist, born at Norwood, England, and brother of Sydney Cockerell. He was educated at the Middlesex Hospital Medical School, and then studied botany in the field in Colorado in 1887-90...
. They are almost all specialist pollinators (oligoleges) of many species of plants, especially in the Sonoran desert
Sonoran Desert
The Sonoran Desert is a North American desert which straddles part of the United States-Mexico border and covers large parts of the U.S. states of Arizona and California and the northwest Mexican states of Sonora, Baja California, and Baja California Sur. It is one of the largest and hottest...
, where Timberlake carried out extensive collecting for decades.
He described and named about 800 species of bees in total over his career, and several other species in other insect groups. He published over 100 scientific papers, mostly on bees, in addition to 8 volumes on the genus Perdita alone. His colleagues and former students throughout the world have described over 50 new species of insects, named timberlakei as patronyms in his honor. His insect collection contained about 500,000 specimens of which about 150,000 were Hymenoptera
Hymenoptera
Hymenoptera is one of the largest orders of insects, comprising the sawflies, wasps, bees and ants. There are over 130,000 recognized species, with many more remaining to be described. The name refers to the heavy wings of the insects, and is derived from the Ancient Greek ὑμήν : membrane and...
, including what was once the largest bee collection in North America, and this served as the foundation for the collection now housed in the University of California's Entomology Research Museum
Entomology Research Museum
The UCR Entomology Research Museum is the insect collection of the Department of Entomology of the University of California, Riverside. It contains approximately 3 million total insect specimens, 2.2 million of which are pinned, roughly 350,000 mounted on slides, the remainder preserved in ethanol...
, containing some 3 million total specimens.
His wife, Edith Timberlake, died in July 1972. She was an aunt of former President Richard M. Nixon, and the elderly scientist and his wife attended Nixon's Presidential inauguration at his invitation.