The Società Entomologica Italiana, one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious scientific societies, was established in 1869 and hosted by the Museo Reale di Storia Naturale in Florence (now the Museo di Storia Naturale dell’Università). The first president was Adolfo Targioni Tozzetti and several famous entomologist, such as Giovanni Battista Grassi, Antonio Berlese, Filippo Silvestri and Guido Grandi, were members of the Council.

In 1922 the Society was transferred to the present location in Genoa, hosted by the  Museo Civico di Storia Naturale “G. Doria”. In 1936, the Society was established as an “Ente Morale”.

The Società Entomologica Italiana is the only national society devoted to entomology in Italy. It is a non-profit scientific society for the promotion of entomological and natural history culture and for the improvement of basic and applied research on insects.

The main activity is the publication of two periodicals: the “Bollettino della Società Entomologica Italiana”, issued three times per year since 1869, containing original scientific papers, short monographs, book reviews and society news; and the “Memorie della Società Entomologica Italiana”, published annually since 1922, containing larger monographs and systematic reviews. The two periodicals are sent to all members of the Society (nearly 700) and exchanged for other similar periodicals (nearly 400) with major museums and scientific institutions in Italy and abroad.

The Library of the Società Entomologica Italiana - located in Genoa at Corso Torino- houses over 400 periodicals, 1100 monographic volumes and more than 7000 publications of entomological miscellanea.