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Biography · Science & Inventions

Margaret S. Collins

1922–1996

United States

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Biography

Margaret James Strickland Collins (September 4, 1922 – April 27, 1996) was an African-American child prodigy, entomologist (zoologist) specializing in the study of termites, and passionate civil rights advocate. Collins was nicknamed the "Termite Lady" because of her extensive research on termites. Together with David Nickle, Collins identified a new species of termite called Neotermes luykxi. When Collins earned her PhD., she became the first African-American female entomologist and the third African-American female zoologist.

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Biography text · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source checked 2026-10-13

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