P008079 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 2026-06-23 human Helen Cohn updated 2026-06-23 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P008079b.htm person Greaves Thomas AACR2 2 August 1902 19 October 1989 Place of Birth Coventry, United Kingdom Place of Death Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia Entomologist Thomas Greaves was an entomologist whose boyhood interest in insects became his career. Having migrated to Australia in 1924 and worked for a few years in Melbourne, in 1930 he joined the CSIR/O Division of Entomology. Initially working with Gerard Hill on termites, he soon became interested in the endemic meat ants (genus Iridomyrmex). During WII Greaves was involved the protection of food crops from insect pests, notably of potatoes and cabbages and in grain storage. One of his major responsibilities was to initiate and manage a program for the eradication of Argentine ants across Australia. Another was to develop means of preventing termites from killing their host trees. In 1967 Greaves retired from CSIRO as Senior Research Officer. He published over 40 research papers, including in retirement. A keen Gardener, he also wrote articles for local newspapers on vegetable growing and was involved in the publication of the first (and subsequent) editions of The Canberra gardener (1948). He was elected a Life Member of the publisher, the Horticultural Society of Canberra. Greaves was an active member of the Entomological Societies of Victoria and New South Wales (foundation member of both) and the Australian Entomological Society. 1924 1924 Life event - Migrated to Australia 1927 1927 Career event - Foundation Member, Entomological Society of Victoria 1927 1930 Career position - Assistant High Tension Linesman, Victorian Railways 1930 Career position - Field Assistant (later Technical Officer), CSIR (later CSIRO) Division of Economic Entomology 1953 1953 Career event - Foundation Member, Entomological Society of New South Wales 1967 1967 Life event - Retired as Senior Research Officer, CSIRO Division of Entomology Hill, Gerald Freer (1880 - 1954) CSIRO Division of Entomology, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (1950 - )

Retired as Senior Research Officer 1967

 Entomological Society of Victoria (1927 - )

Foundation Member 1927

 Entomological Society of NSW [III] (1953 - )

Foundation Member 1953

 'Greaves, Thomas', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, History of Australian Science Research Group Greaves, Thomas Swinburne University of Technology, Office of the Chief Scientist Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Book: The Canberra gardener Horticultural Society of Canberra The Canberra gardener Canberra The Society 1948 Journal Article: Biological problems in the control of the meat ant Iridomyrmex purpureus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Greaves, T. Biological problems in the control of the meat ant <span style="font-style:italic">Iridomyrmex purpureus</span> (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) 1973 Australian journal of entomology 12 4 282-8 Journal Article: The distribution of three forms of the meat ant Iridomyrmex purpureus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Australia Greaves, T. The distribution of three forms of the meat ant <span style="font-style:italic">Iridomyrmex purpureus</span> (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) in Australia 1971 Australian journal of entomology 10 1 15-21 Book: Australian termites: the biology, recognition, and economic importance of the common species Ratcliffe, F. N., Gay, F. J. and Greaves, T. Australian termites: the biology, recognition, and economic importance of the common species Melbourne CSIRO 1952 Journal Article: Obituary: John Clark Greaves, T. Obituary: John Clark 1956 Australian Journal of Science 19 1 23 Journal Article: Thomas Greaves (2 Aug. 1902 - 19 Oct. 1989 Waterhouse, Doug and McInnes, R. S. Thomas Greaves (2 Aug. 1902 - 19 Oct. 1989 1990 Myrmecia 26 1 41-2