caption death_date death_place birth_place image_size birth_date image article_title alma_mater
newell from 1922 `` seminole '' 25 october 1943 gainesville , florida , united states hull , iowa , united states 250px 4 march 1878 wilmon newell.png wilmon newell
 iowa state university
wilmon newell

wilmon newell -lrb- 4 march 1878 -- 25 october 1943 -rrb- was an american entomologist .
he received his bachelor 's -lrb- 1897 -rrb- and master 's -lrb- 1898 -rrb- degrees from iowa state university , along with an honorary doctorate in 1920 .
in 1903 , he was named state entomologist of georgia .
in 1904 , he served as secretary of the louisiana crop pest commission , where he is credited for making important discoveries controlling the cotton boll weevil using powdered lead arsenate .
in 1910 , newell became state entomologist in texas for five years .
after the florida legislature approved the plant act , newell became the first plant commissioner for the florida state plant board , where he directed a successful campaign to eradicate citrus canker .
in florida , newell helped to establish the florida entomological society .
his approach to control invasive insects and diseases has been criticized as a `` scorched earth '' approach , eliminating pests without regard to the environment or to economic losses to growers .
in 1921 , newell was selected to run the university of florida 's college of agriculture as well as its experiment station and cooperative extension service .
he also headed the usda 's eradication campaign against the mediterranean fruit fly in florida in 1929 .
he held the title of provost of agriculture from 1938 until his death in october 1943 .
his research areas included control methods or the cotton boll weevil , argentine ant , and american foul brood in honeybees .
during his long career , he published technical papers on cotton and scale insects , apiculture , quarantine programs and procedures , and insect eradication .
dr. newell had a particular interest in ant taxonomy , but also conducted pioneering research on boll weevil control in louisiana and maintained a deep interest in apiary work in texas and other states .
however , he was best known for his activities in control and eradication of plant pests .
he directed eradication from florida of the mediterranean fruit fly , citrus canker , and citrus blackfly .
he also surveyed extensively for the argentine ant along the gulf coast , particularly in louisiana .
he was a member of the advisory council of the southern forestry service , member and president in 1920 of the american association of economic entomologists .
he was a charter member of the cotton states branch of the association , president of the association of southern agricultural workers in 1929 , the university of florida representative to the institute for research in tropical america , a member of the soil science society , administrator of the florida state soil conservation , chairman of florida land-use planning committee , chairman of the advisory committee on agriculture , and the florida defense council .
newell was inducted into the florida citrus hall of fame in 1966 .
