INSECTS
Bugged by bugs?
Buzz off, then...
Stop giving insects a hard time,
says Stellenbosch entomologist
W
e should stop
giving insects
such a hard
time, as they are an
important part of our
ecology. This is according to
Pia Addison, an entomologist at Stellenbosch
University.
Just under one million insect
species have been identified
on the planet and there are
probably still more that have
not yet been identified.
Insects are characterised by
having three pairs of legs
and two pairs of wings –
which are sometimes
reduced or absent. They
have three body segments:
the head, thorax and
abdomen. Some of them
change their appearance
during development in a
process known as metamorphosis.
Apparently, if all the insects
on the planet were put
together they would weigh
more than all the humans
put together. It is estimated
that total insect biomass is
300 times greater than total
human biomass. Ants and
termites alone are estimated
to weigh more than all
humans put together!
However, the human
species would be badly
affected if there were no
insects.
Our total food supply would
be severely restricted
without insects. We need
pollinators in order to
continue the production of
fruit and vegetables. Most of
these pollinators are insects.
Addison reminds us that
certain products, such as silk
and honey would simply not
exist.
Insects also form a vital part
of the food chain. Without
them, there would be no
birds, or any other animals
that rely on insects as food.
Even more sobering is the
fact that the world would be
littered with decomposing
organic material. The
consequence would be
complete degradation of our
soils. All remaining life
would subsequently
disappear.
Human beings can learn
many lessons from the
insects when it comes to
adaptation. Insects are
highly adaptable to environmental change and have
Continued on page 44
Silkworms display many characteristics as they go through their
life cycle.
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