Born at Bushmills in Northern Ireland. Emigrated to North America in April 1850. In October 1862 took up residence in California where he subsequently became that state's first economic entomologist. His many publications, the most famous of which was Injurious insects of the orchard, vineyard, field, garden, conservatory, household, storehouse, domestic animals, etc. with remedies for their extermination, 1883, include various references to beetles. He died at Sacramento, California. There is an account of Cooke in E.O.Essig, History of Entomology, 1931, pp.581-584.
Dates
16 February 1829 - 25 August 1887