[4][5] His main focus was the morphology, physiology, taxonomy, and zoogeography of earthworms, a collection of which he donated to the National Museum of Natural History.
The couple had two daughters: Evelyn G. and Alice G.[2] In the 1920s, Gates moved to Myanmar to do missionary work.
Among more common ants were a new species of what was believed to be Aphaenogaster (but is now Pheidole gatesi) and a new variety of Aenictus binghami.
[2] His earthworm collection and library and the majority of his manuscripts and records were destroyed during World War II.
His studies revealed many new genera: Scolioscolides, Nellogaster, Barogaster, Lennogaster, Rillogaster, Pellogaster, Priodochaeta, Priodoscolex and Travoscolides.
His work in India led him to create a new classification of earthworms based on "stable somatic characters.
[4] The species Glyphidrilus gatesi is named after Gates, due to his "great contributions to taxonomy and systematics of earthworms.