Society information

La Société entomologique de France - The Entomological Society of France

Founded on 31st January, 1832, the Société entomologique de France (SEF) is the oldest entomological society in the world.The aims of the society were to contribute to the propagation and development of all aspects of entomology, especially by instigating studies on foreign and French fauna, exploring the application of this science to diverse fields such as agriculture and medicine, and deepening of knowledge on insect relationships with the natural environment.

At the constituent assembly on 14th February of that year, there were 35 members. Most of the society’s inaugural members were non-professionals, a fact that highlights the popularity of amateur entomology at that time. Among the honorary fellows were six professors belonging to the French National History Museum, including the well known Baron Georges Cuvier (1769-1832) and Etienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire (1772-1844). Pierre-André Latreille (1762-1833), Head of the Department of Natural History, Crustaceans, Arachnids and Insects at the Museum, was elected as Honorary President by the assembly. He had begun his career as a priest and an entomologist, and later became a student, friend and successor of Jean-Baptiste Lamarck (1744-1829), who had died three years before the creation of the SEF.

Nowadays, the SEF elects people actively involved in entomology either as professionals or as amateurs. SEF has gathered together about 600 members ,who have published 2,737 papers in various scientific journals over a 5-year period (2006-2010). Over the years, successive changes in society statutes remained in agreement with the founding objectives. The awareness and knowledge of the diversity of the insect world and the need to address the multiple facets of entomology has been achieved. At the beginning of the 21st century, the SEF has integrated successive developments of entomological research and the emergence of new disciplines, keeping a focus on the evolution of biodiversity.

The SEF publishes two journals besides the Annales de la Société entomologique de France: the Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France, and L’Entomologiste.