Let's Dig Into Insects

In this story, I recall being a kid and learning about insects directly through my own curiosity. For example, our old back porch in the house where I grew up was riddled with termites.

When we discovered that, it led to a new porch and I kept the queen and larger mass and used them to inspect their habits for a science experiment. That involved cutting open a metal lunch kit on the bottom, inserting glass and then watching them go about their business.

Now as a gardener, I value their contribution because they offer food for all kinds of critters like birds and some insects also feed on others which is an asset so you can use them to protect your veggie garden. Even good soil is a direct result of insect activity.

But when you think that they are the heart of our ecosystem, it bears further investigation. Like the bees who pollinate, so do the flies, moths, butterflies and other flying insects.

Every time I eat an almond or a piece of fruit, I think about bees and their roll in making them possible. And even the dye in our clothing, food colouring and cosmetics is possible thanks to certain insects.

There has been significant advancement in medicine research thanks to insects like mosquitoes or even fruit flies. Some have also been found to be able to digest certain plastics which is helpful considering our major pollution issue.

Then there is the carbon sequestering ability of ants and termites. Chitin can be found in many insect shells and it has been found to be an excellent alternative to plastic which is biodegradable.

We also know that many larger mammals rely on insects for protein when other food cannot be found. Smaller critters too find nourishment there like birds, frogs and all kinds of lizards.

And of course, insects clean up the forest floor from dead animals and help our human counterparts to decompose as well. We need them in our environment. While they may seem like a nuisance in bulk, they do serve a purpose and deserve our respect.