Fitch, Asa (1809-1879)

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Dr. Asa Fitch was born February 24, 1809. His early studies were of both natural history and medicine, which he studied at the newly formed Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, graduating in 1827. However, in 1838 he decided to start studying agriculture and entomology. In 1838 he began to collect and study insects for New York state. In 1854 he became the first professional Entomologist of New York State Agricultural Society (commissioned by the State of New York). This made him the first occupational entomologist in the United States. He died April 8, 1879 in Salem, New York

PUBLICATIONS

 * Fitch, A. 1855 [1854]. Report [upon the noxious and other insects of the State of New-York]. Trans. N. Y. State Agric. Soc. 14: 705-880

REFERENCE

 * Capinera, J.L. (Ed.) 2004. Encyclopedia of Entomology 2: 868-869.