Insects in Danger

In today’s newspaper, the Athens Banner-Herald, I found an article entitled “State wildlife plan adds dozens of insects to protected species list.” Insects?? And I thought of the so-called “war on science.” Are we feeding the flames here?

It’s no secret that our biological diversity is in a severe decline. Bird numbers. Frogs, toads, salamander populations are dropping off. Organizations such as The Nature Conservancy have helped to pull some species back from the brink. Brown Pelicans and wood storks, Rafinesque’s big-eared bat, for example. (Perhaps in the bat’s case, we now know where they’re hiding, thanks to the field work of my colleague, Matt C.).

But insects? We worry about declines in honey bees and in native bees because of their importance as pollinators. Not, usually, moths or butterflies. Except maybe the Monarch.

I’ve always been intrigued by the complex relationship between insects and flowering plants. Insects feed upon plants, but at the same time they pollinate plants. Flowering plants arose during the Cretaceous epoch (remember your geology?). Insects and plants grew up together. Yes, plants need insects. We need plants. Get it?

I recall that a few years back, we had a National Biological Survey which was charged to do a survey of our biological resources. It was unpopular in Congress. Do we really want to know what endangered species might be living in our back yards? Congressmen would rather not know. Back to the war on science.

Hooray for the Nature Conservancy.

Dac Crossley
June 8, 2015

“We all know what to do, but we don’t know how to get re-elected once we have done it.” – Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Paul Juncker.

Comments

[Aiden Smith]

This is going to effect on Global warming issue. We should take care of nature before its too late.

[J. R. Lindermuth]

I'm not in favor of losing anymore critters. We've lost too many already. Broke my heart last week when I had to say 'yes' to removing a beautiful magnolia tree because it was endangering the historic powder magazine at the historical society.

[Lesley A. Diehl]

This is not about insects, but I noticed something very odd when we returned this year to upstagte New York. We've always enjoyed the many crows we have around here especially watching them bath so merrily in our stream. This year, however, I saw only two in the early Spring and now there are none. I asked several of my friends who know birds, but they didn't notice them not being here so they couldn't tell me what had happened. I miss them.

[Elizabeth Franklin Chilson]

Hi Dac
In Brazil we have a list of endangered species:
http://www.icmbio.gov.br/portal/biodiversidade/fauna-brasileira/lista-de-especies.html?start=250

If you go to page 6, you can see the invertebrates...
Liz

[Shirley J White]

That depends on how many you have!
Mama Washed us in lye soap and then dabbed on CampoPhenique.

[Dac Crossley Jr.]

Hey! Chiggers arent thatbad.

What did your mother do for your chigger bites? Mine rubbed on butter and salt...

Dac

[Irene Black]

Bless the chigger's heart, it is alive and doing well. Will be running your article sometime in July (after the fourth. Have a new book coming sometime in the next few weeks, Game of Death.

[Bill Stroud]

Plentiful bees here in Germany. Lots of beekeepers, too. Many locals sell honey door to door. My garden is musical with the sounds of buzzing. Like you, I find the symbiosis of plants and insects fascinating.

[Shirley J White]

Thanks for this "food for thought."
A beekeeper in the next town says his bees did not decline since he stopped transporting them.
Wish the chigger was endangered.