Richard South

Richard South FRES (July 1846 – 28 March 1932) was an English entomologist who specialised in Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), particularly the smaller moths.

Life and work South was born at Cochran Terrace in Marylebone, London, England and educated at a private school in Reading. After his death, these were updated by H. M. Edelsten. The moth volumes were reprinted as late as 1980.

South became the editor of The Entomologist. and an account of the butterflies collected by Captain F.M. Bailey in western China, Tibet and South-Eastern and the Mishmi Hills.

Major parts of his collections of specimens survive, in the Natural History Museum and in the collection of Birmingham Museums Trust. and in 1914 to Evelyn Urquhart (1871-1947) who survived him by 15 years. Her father had been a Mayor of Paddington.

South lived all his life in London. and his highly popular guides The Butterflies of the British Isles and The Moths of the British Isles could have earned him substantial royalties. He died in 1932 at his London home after a period of poor health.

Books South R. (1906) The Butterflies of the British Isles, Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd., London & NY: 210 pp. South R. (1907) The Moths of the British Isles, (First Series), Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd., London & NY: 359 pp. South R. (1908) The Moths of the British Isles, (Second Series), Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd., London & NY: 388 pp. South R. (1923) Catalogue of the Collection of Palaearctic Butterflies, (Publisher unknown) 240 pp. South R., Stokoe W.J. & Stovin G.H.T. (1948) The Caterpillars of British Moths including the Eggs, Chrysalids and Food-Plants, Frederick Warne & Co. Ltd., London & NY: 408 pp.