Ronald John Prokopy (28 September 1935–14 May 2004) was an American entomologist who was a specialist on the behavior and biology of Rhagoletis flies and approaches to their management in apple orchards.
He went to study at Cornell University obtaining a BS in agriculture in 1957 and a PhD in entomology working under advisor George Gyrisco.
He then joined the University of Texas examining the biology of Rhagoletis pomonella.
Prokopy was known for his innovative and low-tech approaches to the study of insect behavior.
[1] Among his innovations was the use of red spheres for monitoring and managing populations of Rhagoletis.