Dr Jason Londt was born in Johannesburg (1943) and schooled at Parktown Boys High School. Being passionate about insects he went on to graduate in entomology and zoology at Rhodes University. He completed a masters degree (1971) and a doctorate (1974) working on the biology of cattle ticks in the Eastern Cape. Jason was awarded a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of London (Kings College) where he worked for a year (1974) on British ticks. On returning to South Africa, Jason took up a post at the Veterinary Research Institute, Onderstepoort again working on ticks. As he had always desired to work on insects (ticks not being true insects) it was a dream come true when he applied for, and was appointed to the post of Assistant Director of the Natal Museum in Pietermaritzburg (1976). Jason’s field of research changed to the taxonomy of robber flies and he has now became a world authority on this large group of predatory incest.
Jason was appointed Director of the Natal Museum (1994), a position he held until his retirement (2003). he is now a Director Emeritus of the Nata Museum and an Honorary Research Fellow of the University of KZN, and continues with his research on flies