Mike Majerus

[eucera]

WABers

I have heard that Dr Mike Majerus has just passed away aged 54 (29 Jan). Many of you will be most familiar with his work on Ladybirds, their genetics and biology. His death is a big shock to everyone as it was both sudden and unexpected.

Sympathies go to his family, friends and colleagues. His expertise, enthusiasm and scientific excellence will be sorely missed.

Stuart

[Wild-Woman]

Yes very sad indeed. Thunder put a thread on for him last week I think.

As I said then a huge loss to entomology and obviously his family and colleagues.

[Pudding4brains]

Wow

Britain has had poor luck with it's invertebrate specialists in the past years - another dreadful and way premature loss ...

Thanks for the heads up Stuart, I for one would have missed the other thread.

Sympathy and support to all of you who held him dear!

Arp

[Dan Salter]

Oh my good god (and from an athiest like me?) That is shocking and more so as i have been citing and referencing lots of his books, work, papers and talks in my dissertation just this week!....he was a superb scientist!

His new naturalist MOTHS is awesome! as is his NN Ladybirds.

Such a shame.

[Kara_Majerus]

He would have been pleased to see how many people admired his work.

Thankyou for the lovely messages.

Kara.

[Jason Green]

Hi Kara,

I'm so, so sorry for your loss

Take care,

Jason

[Dan Salter]

I second that Jason.

So sorry for you Kara, i have studied lots of his work this last year and will continue for many years to come.

Much admired work, and that is scientific fact!

Dan

[asheleaf]

I have his books I my shelf. Its very sad, and so young.....

Ashe

[Paul mabbott]

Yes, indeed, very, very sad.

Michael Eugene Nicolas Majerus
MAJERUS. Michael Eugene Nicolas, of Cambridge, Professor of Evolution and Fellow of Clare College, Cambridge, on Tuesday, January 27th, 2009, aged 54 years. Funeral will take place on Tuesday, February 3rd, at 3.45pm, in the West Chapel, at Cambridge City Crematorium. Family flowers only, donations in memory made payable to Amateur Entomological Society may be sent c/o Cambridge Funeral Services Ltd, 617 Newmarket Road, Cambridge. CB5 8PA. Tel: 01223 415255.

In academic circles Mike will be remembered mostly as a geneticist working on melanism of moths but most of us will recall him as the inspiration for the study of ladybirds by scientists and by the public!

He was also involved in a vast range of research including male-killing bacteria and insect parasitoids as well as the effects of globalisation on the environment. He was a dedicated humanist - Dr Michael Majerus

There are many tributes on the net and elsewhere, for instance: Mike Majerus passed away - The Panda's Thumb where one particularly pertinent comment was how sad to see someone younger but so much more productive than yourself die. How true.

[Gill Catton]

Originally Posted by Dan Salter

His new naturalist MOTHS is awesome! as is his NN Ladybirds.

Such a shame.

a very sad loss..... my condolances to all family but you should be so very proud of his legacy which will inspire and educate for generations..... long after the rest of us are gone.