Vignette 90: Progressing entomology

Helen May Brookes (1917–2008) emerged as a leading entomologist, dedicating nearly five decades of her life to the Department of Entomology at the Waite Agricultural Research Institute. In 1936, she started working as a laboratory assistant and developed a keen interest in the insect ecology and physiology of the Australian Coccoidea, scale insects.

Brookes’ innovative work on scale insects, particularly Coccoidea, marked her as an international leader in the field. In 1951, she contributed significantly to the understanding of Australian insect species when she published a collection of scientific papers on Homoptera, a rank that includes aphids and cicadas. Her extensive specimen collection was donated to the Australian National Insect Collection in Canberra upon her retirement in 1982.

Brookes had a remarkable career, rising from laboratory assistant to Senior Systematic Entomologist. A member of the Royal Society of South Australia, she also helped found the Australian Entomological Society.

The University of Adelaide: 150 Years of Making History.  Leading for the future. p.124