Charles David, leading Guernsey entomologist dies
Charles David, a leading member of La Societe Guernesiaise, has died unexpectedly at the age of 64.
The past president of La Societe and head of the group's entomology section passed away while on a visit to Sark at the weekend.
Mr David was also responsible for the formation of the Guernsey Biological Records Centre.
At the time of his death he was working on a project to create a similar facility in Jersey.
The centre holds data on sightings of insects, plants, fungi and marine life for the Bailiwick of Guernsey, but also with some information from Jersey, the Chausey Islands and the adjacent French coast.
It was founded in 2003 as a partnership between La Societe and the States.
Former La Societe president Pat Costen described it as full of hundreds of thousands of vitally important records.
She said: "We're all at La Societe still reeling from it really, it's just absolutely dreadful, one person said he's irreplaceable and I think probably that's quite true.
"He was quite a modest man, but he was probably the cleverest man I think I've ever met. He had a breadth of knowledge that was quite astonishing particularly in relation to Guernsey.
"He was a remarkable and lovely man and we're going to miss him so much."