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A commonly asked question of anyone working in the mosquito control industry is: “What good are mosquitoes?” The role that mosquitoes and other “bad bugs” serve in our environment isn’t always clear. Can the world go on if all of the pest species were to disappear? Perhaps. Would it look different from the world we see today? Most certainly (for one, most entomologists would be unemployed!) When discussing the role of insect pests in our world, it isn’t always clear where they fit in or how important they are to the natural ecosystem. There isn’t even agreement on what constitutes a “bad bug” or pest. On one end of the spectrum, some people believe that all insects have a right to live, no matter what harm they may do to us humans. On the other end of the spectrum, there are just as many people who feel that the only good insect is a dead insect, especially once they “trespass” into our homes. Is it even possible to eradicate any of them, and what would happen if we were actually able to do so? Also, what role do humans have in contributing to the problem, that is, how have we made life easier for many pest species? We will explore the lives of some arthropods that bite us, sting us, or compete with us for our food, and speculate on what a world without them might look like. The importance of these “bad bugs” to us and our environment may surprise you. |