Archives West Finding Aid

The Aldrich Entomology Club at the University of Idaho (AECUI) was founded in the fall semester of 1961 by Dr. William F. Barr (1920-2011) and Arthur R. Gittins (1926-1999). The club was named after John Merton Aldrich (1866-1934), a professor of Zoology, and founder of entomological studies at the University of Idaho, from 1893-1913. While at Idaho, Aldrich began work on his most notable contribution to entomology, Catalogue of the North American Diptera, published by the Smithsonian in 1905. Unfortunately, Aldrich was terminated from the University after twenty years of teaching. By this time, he had a national reputation for his talent in entomology and was able to quickly find jobs at places such as the USDA Bureau of Entomology in 1913, as well as the United States National Museum in 1919.

The Aldrich Entomology Club was named in honor of his life and the work he contributed to Entomology. The club's purpose is to promote knowledge and stimulate interest in entomology and the study of insects, and their relationships and impacts to the environment, humans, and other organisms.