About the Society

The Society’s New Logo

The black line art cicada logo familiar to members since the late 1960s was the first strong logo ESV enjoyed identifying with.  It was designed and drawn by the late Charles McCubbin, who apart from being a keen entomologist and president of the society for a time, was a professional illustrator and ‘commercial artist’.

The society had no logo to speak of at the time, just a cover art for ‘Wings and Stings’, our publication of those years.  Charles brought a sharp new, “take us seriously” marketable face to the society and proposed a design based on Cyclochila australasiae, the Green Grocer so common in much of South Eastern Victoria.

The cicada logo was a robust, symmetrical and centrally balanced artwork, combined with Times Roman Capitals, (the most common newspaper type font), it looked formal and was easily reproduced on Letterpress and Roneo printing machines, at any size.
New printing and reproduction technology have now allowed the society to produce stunning full colour bi-monthly Bulletins, and the old cicada logo was no longer in step.  Furthermore, although the cicada logo was based on the common Victorian green variation of C.australasiae, the art was indistinguishable from the vast majority of cicadas.
With a dynamic new design fitting modern times, and exploiting the ability to reproduce in colour, choosing an insect that, while not entirely endemic to Victoria, represented a visually spectacular and significant species, made Acripeza reticulata an excellent subject for a new logo.

This species is found in pockets, mostly in the high country, worthy of special excursions to the wild, and few would not be breath-taken by its dramatic defence display. Both males and females bear the brightly coloured dorsal tergites (plates), but the fatter proportions of the female abdomen and shorter tegmena (thickened forewing) made it a better choice for our logo. The long antennae curved over the body then visually contain the overall shape. The addition of the drop shadow in the colour version was one more advantage taken within the new printing technology, adding further dimension. The Society still wished to appear formal despite the dynamic changes. A symmetrical type foundation with a clean, bold, modern sans serif face that is solid and very legible provided the means.

Finally, the new logo also exists as a black line version for reproduction where colour isn’t suitable.

May you all enjoy your new logo and reflect with pride next time you’re lucky to encounter one of our living mascots in the wild.

History of the Entomological Society of Victoria Inc.

The Society can trace its origins back to the 5th of April 1927 where “The Entomological Club” was formed. The Club commenced with 14 members. In May 1930 it was decided to change the name of the Club to “The Entomologist’s Club of Victoria” and renamed in May 1935 to “The Entomological Society of Victoria”. The Society disbanded in 1942 due to low attendances as a result of members either in Active Service or wartime industrial occupations. The Club reformed in 1961 at the instigation of work by J. C. Le Souëf. The Society’s newsletter “Wings and Stings” was started in 1965. In 1971 the newsletter was renamed the Victorian Entomologist and continues to be produced bi-monthly.

Aims of the Society

The Entomological Society of Victoria Inc.:

  • Welcomes professional, amateur and student entomologists as members;

  • Produces the Victorian Entomologist, the news bulletin of the Victorian Entomological Society of Victoria Inc.

  • Meets at 19:45 on the third Tuesday of every even month (second Tuesday of December) in the Seminar Room at Museum Victoria Carlton Campus (Opposite the Exhibition Buildings), to hear lectures by guest speakers or members unless otherwise notified.

  • Provides opportunities for informal discussions between members with similar interests;

  • Presents the ‘Zoo Le Souëf ‘ Memorial Award to recognise substantial contributions to entomology by amateurs in Australia.

  • Sponsors Science Talent Quest bursaries from its Junior Encouragement fund;

  • Holds excursions and camps to places of entomological interest;

  • Responds to issues of a conservation nature raised by members of the Society or other sources.