Born into a family of landed gentry,[1] Frivaldszky studied at the gymnasiums in Sátoraljaújhely and Eger, then philosophy at the Royal Academy of Kassa.

While still a student in Eger he accompanied Pál Kitaibel and Jószef Sadler on botanical excursions.

[2] Frivaldszky issued and distributed the exsiccata-like series Species plantarum exsiccatarum europaea-turcicarum.

[3] Frivaldszky wrote extensively on plants, snakes, snails and especially insects (Lepidoptera and Coleoptera).

[4] A large part of his huge entomological collection was destroyed in a flood in 1838, the rest in 1956 during the anticommunist revolution.