For many of us, the sentiment has been that the only good insect is a dead insect. After all, if they're not swiping plants in a farm field, they're buzzing around, destroying the ambience of a picnic or outing.
But insects have a big role to play in the wide world of life, says Oliver Milman, whose book,
"Insect Crisis," spells out the dangers this world will be in if we let insect numbers continue to fall.
And they are falling precipitously. That's bad news for birds and a whole chain of life that depends on little bugs to play a major role. That's bad news for us at the end of the chain.
Insects, after all, are the ultimate survivors, notes Milman,
Around before the dinosaurs, insects have lived through five--or is it six--major catastrophes to impact our planet.
The problem is that now, while we have pulled back on DDT, one of the alternative chemicals in use is hundreds of times stronger than what Rachel Carson warned us about, said Milman. Regulation and moderation is required. Also a new mindset: we need bugs to survive.
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