W.B. Alwood Society

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About Us

The W. B. Alwood Entomological Society recruits students who are interested in insects and other arthropods. We focus on outreach events that involve teaching the community more about the importance of insects and other arthropods, as well as extension efforts. This organization mostly contains graduate students studying entomology, but can extend to any university affiliate interested in the subject.Alwood Society members, since its founding in 1966, have reached over 30,000 kids by organizing department tours, visiting local schools and supporting special events such as the Hokie BugFest.

W. B. Alwood
William Bradford Alwood (1859-1946) began working at Virginia Tech, then Virginia Agricultural and Mechanical College, in 1888, as the university's first entomologist, and served as the director of the Department of Horticulture, Entomology and Mycology. The department divided into two new departments in 1902, with Alwood directing the Department of Entomology and Mycology. Alwood founded the Virginia Horticultural Society in 1897 to organize efforts to save the Virginia fruit tree industry from a destructive insect species, and wrote over 60 publications on pest management during his 16-year tenure at university. He was an early pioneer of pest management and fruit culture. He was referred to by his peers during his era as father of Virginia horticulture, the savior of the Virginia fruit industry, and a worldwide expert in pomology, viticulture, enology, and pest management. At Virginia Tech he is regarded as the father of our horticulture and pest management disciplines and as one of the University's greatest scientists. Today we stand on the shoulders of this giant to further the science of agriculture.Sources:
- Duplisea, Genna. "Alwood Oak." Clio: Your Guide to History. January 25, 2020. https://theclio.com/entry/88059
- Virginia Tech Pesticide Programs Website. https://aspace.lib.vt.edu/agents/people/465