Entomologist Spotlight – Charles Henry Turner (1867-1923)

Charles Henry Turner, born February 3rd 1876, was an American entomologist that published foundational studies for future research into insect behavior. Contrary to his predecessors, Turner believed that insect behavior was not solely a result of machine-like biological reflexes, but that their behavior was influenced by psychological and environmental factors. He was one of the first entomologists to consider the presence of “animal personality” in bugs and insects, and their ability to learn.

Turner became one of the first Black Americans to earn Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at the University of Cincinnati, and the very first Black American to receive a PhD from the University of Chicago. He later also became the first Black American to have their research published in the well known journal, Science. Despite his credentials and groundbreaking research, Turner struggled to find a career in higher academia, finding himself battling against the prejudiced American university institutions of the time. Eventually, he settled into a teaching position at Sumner High School, but continued his research and published 41 scientific studies throughout his time there.

Turner approached studying insect behavior with a psychological perspective, posturing that bugs were not “reflexive machines,” but had the ability to problem solve, maintain memories, learn, and have emotion. Spiders, ants, bees, wasps, and cockroaches were all subjects in his experiments to determine what factors influence bugs’ behaviors, and how they adapt to new environments and stimuli. One of Turner’s most impactful discoveries was the determination that bees can indeed distinguish between colors and recognize patterns, and use them as indicators for navigation and feeding. For these experiments, Turner placed several colored and patterned dishes with jam around a park, and observed the behavior of the bees that visited the dishes. The bees eventually learned (and remembered) which colors and patterns held the food, and even at which time of day the food would be present. These studies implied that insects possess complex brain functions, and did not rely only on biological instinct to live.

Another study conducted by Turner involved the first ever recorded instance of Pavlovian conditioning with insects. In order to prove that moths could hear sound, Turner trained several moths to associate a high pitch frequency with being handled, so anytime they heard the noise, the moths would start to vibrate their wings in anticipation. Similarly, Turner was also able to teach cockroaches to avoid dark areas, and to stay in the light. These studies showed that bugs were capable of learning, and retaining those lessons learned, which was revolutionary in a time when insect behavior was not well understood.

By the time Turner retired from teaching high school in 1922, he had published over 50 articles, most to do with entomological studies, but also several on civil rights. Just like how he believed insects could learn, he believed that the civil rights movement could benefit from the overall education of the American people. Today, his work has been cited by over 70 contemporary publications, and has reshaped how researchers approach the study of insect and bug behavior.

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