Amateurs and Abandoned Science

American Entomologist • Summer H aving begun my entomological career as a young amateur, I have always had a soft spot in my heart for the amateur component of science. For most entomologists, what we do is a labor of love, fueled by the fascination of insects, and in that sense we are all akin to amateurs as well. There are some interesting dynamics emerging between the amateurs and the professionals in entomology, however, and that is what I want to explore here now, in part to encourage more amateur involvement in societies such as the ESA. Let’s start by asking the obvious—what do amateur entomologists do? Many col-