Zhou Yao was born in 1912 in Yinxian   County, Zhejiang Province. He studied agriculture at NantongCollege from September 1932 to June 1936. In 1936, he went to NaplesUniversity in Italy to study for a doctorate degree in entomology, and returned to the front line in the Resistance War against Japan in 1938.

He was appointed professor of NorthwestAgriculturalCollege in November 1939, and published more than 200 entomological research papers and books. He found and reclassified 360 new insect species and 32 new genus and reclassified the above classification elements of the general order of insects. A total of 23 new suborders, 45 new general families, and 2 new families were established.

Professor Zhou served as general manager of NorthwesternAgriculturalCollege, head of the Department of Plant Conservation, director of the Institute of Insects of NorthwestAgriculturalUniversity (now Northwest University of Agriculture and Forestry Science and Technology), director of the InsectMuseum. He was a professor at Northwest University and Northwest Academy of Medicine, honorary professor of Northwest Forestry College, research fellow of Beijing Natural Museum, director of Shaanxi Animal Research Institute, executive consultant of Wildlife Conservation Committee of five provinces in Northwest, member of the Chinese Society of Insects, president of the Butterfly Branch of the Chinese Society of Insects, member of the Chinese Society of Science and Technology, honorary president of the Xi'an Esperanto Society, member of the Central Committee of the Jiusan Society, member of the Sixth and Seventh National Committees of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference. He was the editorial board members of the Journal of Insectology, the Classification of Animals, Knowledge of Insects, Chinese Animal Records, and Chinese Journal of Butterfly, etc.

Professor Zhou was awarded the title of Advanced Agricultural Worker from the State Council in 1979, an honorary award from the University of Napoli in Italy, and was elected academician of the International Academy of Sciences in the Republic of San Marino in 1985. The Hong Kong Asian Agricultural Development Foundation awarded him the title of Outstanding Person in Asian Agriculture and a Gold Award. Because of his achievements in the field of Esperanto, he was awarded the Grand Green Universe Award by the International Conference on Scientific and Technological Esperanto in 1988.