Respect for Bugs

On a summer day in 1910, bees buzzed busily in a field of flowers in St. Louis, Missouri. Among the flowers, wooden sticks were stuck in the ground, topped with cardboard shapes in different colors. A man named Charles Henry Turner sat among the flowers, watching the bees closely.

It was a summer day in 1910. Bees buzzed in a field of flowers in St. Louis, Missouri. Wooden sticks stuck up among the flowers. The sticks were topped with different colored cardboard shapes. Charles Henry Turner sat among them. He watched the bees closely.

Turner was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on February 3, 1867. As a Black American growing up just after the end of the Civil War, he had fewer opportunities in education than White people had.

Still, Turner excelled. He graduated at the top of his high school class and earned degrees in biology from the University of Cincinnati. Turner became  one of the first Black people to earn a doctoral degree in zoology, the science of animals, from the University of Chicago.

Turner was interested in how animals thought and behaved—especially insects. He investigated questions no one else had: Can cockroaches find their way through a maze? Do honeybees have memories? Can moths hear sound?

Some of his most famous experiments involved honeybees. In one, Turner placed red boxes containing honey in a flower field. He observed bees visiting them to eat the honey. Turner then added blue containers without honey. But the bees visited only the red containers.

Turner concluded that the bees could tell the difference between the colors—and they remembered the red ones held honey. Later scientists learned that bees can’t see red. But they can see the difference between light and dark colors. Turner’s experiments revealed that bees use vision and memory—not just scent—to find food.

Turner was born on February 3, 1867. He lived in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was a Black American growing up just after the end of the Civil War. So he had fewer chances for education than White people had.

Still, Turner thrived. He graduated at the top of his high school class. He earned degrees in biology from the University of Cincinnati. Turner became one of the first Black people to earn a doctoral degree in zoology from the University of Chicago. Zoology is the science of animals.

Turner wanted to know how insects thought and behaved. He studied things no one else had. For example, could roaches find their way through a maze? Do honeybees have memories? Can moths hear sound?

Some of Turner’s most famous experiments were with honeybees. In one, he placed red boxes with honey in a flower field. He watched bees visiting them to eat the honey. Turner then added blue boxes without honey. But the bees visited only the red ones.

Turner figured the bees could tell the difference between the colors. And they remembered that the red ones held honey. Later, scientists learned that bees can’t see red. But they can detect light and dark colors. Turner’s studies showed that bees don’t use just scent to find food. They also use vision and memory.

Many scientists work for universities that support their research. After earning his degrees, Turner applied for some university positions. But because of racist attitudes and biases against hiring Black scientists, he was turned away.

Turner became a public school teacher in St. Louis. In addition to teaching, he conducted hundreds of experiments about insect behavior. He published his findings in scientific journals. Turner also published many papers about civil rights. He believed public education was key to helping end racism.

“Turner was able to rise above the awful treatment of Black people,” says Charles Abramson, a psychologist who studies Turner’s work. “Despite the challenges he faced, he was always dedicated to the science.”

Turner died at the age of 56, in 1923, but his legacy lives on. His research has led to a better understanding of animal cognition, or thinking. It showed that all creatures deserve a closer look.

Many scientists work for universities. The schools support the research scientists do. Turner applied for some university positions after getting his degrees. But he was turned away. That’s because some people were against hiring Black scientists.

Turner became a public school teacher in St. Louis, Missouri. He also ran hundreds of experiments about insect behavior. He published his findings in scientific journals. Turner also published many papers about civil rights. He believed public education was key to helping end racism.

“Turner was able to rise above the awful treatment of Black people,” says Charles Abramson. He’s a psychologist. He studies Turner’s work. “Despite the challenges he faced, he was always dedicated to the science,” says Abramson.

Turner died at the age of 56 in 1923. But his ideas live on. His research helped scientists learn more about animal cognition, or thinking. It also showed that all creatures deserve a closer look.