In terms of their ability to survive, humans come in second best. The horrible thought is that insects are far more apt to survive than we are. As we swat at never-ending swarms of fliying pests it's easy to believe that some day they may just wear us down by their relentless ability to annoy us.
We spray them, trap them and try to annihilate them in every possible way but they scatter and attack us from every angle and with more ferocity than before. In many cases we do more harm to other creatures than to the target pests: the now outlawed use of DDT is a good example.
There are more species of insects than all other classes of animals combined. What they lack in size, insects make up in sheer numbers. It has been calculated that if all the insects in the world could be weighed they would measure more than all other life on earth combined.
Because of their amazing ability to adapt to changes in the environment, it has been suggested that these meddlesome creatures could eventually inherit the earth. But why are insects so successful? It’s because of their body shape for one thing. They can adapt to whatever is required of them to fill most spaces in nature from sewage lagoons to toxic landfills to radioactive sites. There are over 650 000 insect species in the world, 88 600 in North America and each has their own specialized habitat.
While most creatures have to crawl around on the earth, insects have the ability to fly during some stage of their lifecycle (usually adult). This allows them to move to any location suitable for their lifestyle. For example, the 2100 species of termite may live anywhere in the world – from the north to south pole – where there is plant life, regardless of temperature or annual rainfall. After mating, a queen bee, wasp or ant carries with her enough fertilized eggs to begin a new colony many kilometers from her home nest. She then lays her eggs in the ground and when only when conditions are suitable, the eggs hatch and a new generation begins. By this time, the female that laid the hatching eggs may be dead for many years.
The surface of every bit of water in the world is home to some form of insect. These waterways functions as highways, trampolines, skating rinks, communication systems, and food sources for insects. Water treaders, whirligig beetles and water striders are among the thousands of insects that spend their lives on water.
When it comes to insects, are the good and the bad (and the ugly). The good: bees that produce honey and pollinate plants, moths that produce silk for clothing, lady bugs that keep gardens free of aphids. The bad: leaf miners that destroy food crops, grasshoppers that suck sap from grain stalks and earwigs that eat anything in their path.
When it comes to living in harmony, maybe we can strike a deal with the insects and learn to get along for our mutual benefit.
Photos by Clayton Rollins
We spray them, trap them and try to annihilate them in every possible way but they scatter and attack us from every angle and with more ferocity than before. In many cases we do more harm to other creatures than to the target pests: the now outlawed use of DDT is a good example.
There are more species of insects than all other classes of animals combined. What they lack in size, insects make up in sheer numbers. It has been calculated that if all the insects in the world could be weighed they would measure more than all other life on earth combined.
Because of their amazing ability to adapt to changes in the environment, it has been suggested that these meddlesome creatures could eventually inherit the earth. But why are insects so successful? It’s because of their body shape for one thing. They can adapt to whatever is required of them to fill most spaces in nature from sewage lagoons to toxic landfills to radioactive sites. There are over 650 000 insect species in the world, 88 600 in North America and each has their own specialized habitat.
While most creatures have to crawl around on the earth, insects have the ability to fly during some stage of their lifecycle (usually adult). This allows them to move to any location suitable for their lifestyle. For example, the 2100 species of termite may live anywhere in the world – from the north to south pole – where there is plant life, regardless of temperature or annual rainfall. After mating, a queen bee, wasp or ant carries with her enough fertilized eggs to begin a new colony many kilometers from her home nest. She then lays her eggs in the ground and when only when conditions are suitable, the eggs hatch and a new generation begins. By this time, the female that laid the hatching eggs may be dead for many years.
The surface of every bit of water in the world is home to some form of insect. These waterways functions as highways, trampolines, skating rinks, communication systems, and food sources for insects. Water treaders, whirligig beetles and water striders are among the thousands of insects that spend their lives on water.
When it comes to insects, are the good and the bad (and the ugly). The good: bees that produce honey and pollinate plants, moths that produce silk for clothing, lady bugs that keep gardens free of aphids. The bad: leaf miners that destroy food crops, grasshoppers that suck sap from grain stalks and earwigs that eat anything in their path.
When it comes to living in harmony, maybe we can strike a deal with the insects and learn to get along for our mutual benefit.
Photos by Clayton Rollins
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