Turner, Charles Henry (1867-1923)

US biologist who carried out research into insect behaviour patterns. He was the first to prove that insects can hear and distinguish pitch and that cockroaches learn by trial and error.

Turner was born in Cincinnati, studied there, and went on to teach at schools and colleges. He also wrote nature stories for children and was active in the civil-rights movement in St Louis.

From 1892 until his death, Turner conducted experiments on ants, bees, moths, spiders, and cockroaches. In French literature the turning movement of the ant towards its nest was given the name ‘Turner's circling’.

Turner published over 50 papers on neurology, animal behaviour, and invertebrate ecology, including his dissertation ‘The homing of ants: an experimental study of ant behaviour’ 1907.