author
E. A. (Ernest Adna) Back
1880–1959
A pioneering American entomologist, this early 20th-century writer turned insect science into practical advice for farmers, households, and food storage specialists. His books and bulletins focused on the pests that damage grain, beans, peas, and household goods, making technical research useful in everyday life.
1 Audiobook
Carpet Beetles and Their Control
by E. A. (Ernest Adna) Back
About the author
Born in Northampton, Massachusetts, in 1880, Ernest Adna Back trained in science at Massachusetts Agricultural College, where he earned both his B.S. and Ph.D. He went on to work as an entomologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and became known for research on insects that attack stored food and other materials.
Back wrote extensively for government bulletins and scientific publications, often on problems that directly affected agriculture and the home. His works include studies and guides on stored-grain pests, bean and pea weevils, silverfish, house ants, carpet beetles, cockroaches, and insect problems in Hawaii such as the melon fly and Mediterranean fruit fly.
He died in 1959, but his writing still gives a clear picture of an era when careful observation and practical science were closely linked. For audiobook listeners today, his work offers a window into the history of applied entomology and the everyday challenges of protecting food, crops, and homes from destructive insects.