Today, I am thankful for those little creatures that protect our existence.
The other evening, as I was desperately seeking to partake in some of the final, fleeting moments of the summer season, I was sitting on my deck, enjoying the beautiful greenery in my back yard. As I sat there sipping my unfiltered wheat beer, without much of a care in the tumultuous world surrounding me, I was confronted by an eerie realization. I’m under attack. Almost instantaneously, I’m surrounded by some pesky, flying insects that simply will not leave me to rest. Frustrated, I raise my arm without a moment’s hesitation, and one of these flying creatures is fatally sacrificed. A sense of satisfaction overcomes me, as I desperately seek a return to the solitude of my serene surroundings. Little do I fully appreciate how outnumbered I am on my own property by these hexapod invertebrates. Even less do I contemplate how that tiny creature I just destroyed was serving a critical function in the circle of life.
The intricate equilibrium of life is absolutely fascinating. For every human that lives on this Earth, entomologists estimate there are 1.4 billion insects. Comprised of nearly 6 to 10 million different species, insects make up nearly ninety percent of all the animals that live on our planet. Although we might regard them as pests and nuisances, their extensive biodiversity plays a significant role in the world, helping to maintain the balance that permit humans – as the animals at the top of the food chain – to survive. In other words, the bugs among us allow for the ecosystem in which we live to remain intact, and, in turn, our own existences are dependent on their perpetual survival.
I thought it might be useful for me to take a moment to put into proper perspective the true value of those annoying, creepy crawlers. First, insects are critical in helping to aerate the soil upon which our vegetation grows. By serving as the key decomposers of dead plants and animals, insects like beetles help to recycle critical nutrients back into the soil. Their own excrement, oddly enough, adds to the enrichment of the minerals and other nutrients that comprise our top soil. Second, by digging through the soil, burrowing creatures like ants create intricate tunnels that serve as channels for water to reach the stems of our flowers, plants, and trees. Thirdly, certain insects, like the praying mantis, control the population size of other insects, such as caterpillars or locusts, that might otherwise reek havoc on our vegetable gardens. Moreover, flying insects, such as bees, butterflies, and wasps, pollinate flowering plants, allowing for luscious flowers to sprout while we sit in our backyards sipping on our pale ales or pinot noirs.
However, if the role they play in ecological equilibrium was not enough, I’ll call your attention to the ‘fruits’ of an insect’s labor. Without the bumblebees in the world, we’d be without honey. Without the diligence and sacrifice of the silkworm, the great, cross-continental trade that led to the end of the Dark Ages might not have materialized. Without crickets and other insects serving as bait on fishing rods, many humans on this Earth would go hungry without the day’s catch. Without the existence of thousands of these species of tiny arthropods, the majority of the birds and reptiles, and even many mammals, would lack the necessary sustenance to exist. Without research into the inner workings of these creatures, our future as a species may be called into question. In fact, every day, scientists are gaining knowledge from insects on how to fight cancer, develop new antibiotics against resistant bacteria and fungi, and treat pain.
In other words, insects are an intricate component of our lives and our economies, adding an estimated $60 billion annually to our nation’s bottom line. If many of the insect species we love to despise were to suddenly disappear from the surface of our planet, the impact on our own existences would be, in a word, cataclysmal. As much as we love to hate them, we need them to survive. In fact, when humans looked for the perfect automobile after World War II that could transport their nuclear family, they ultimately turned to the design of the Austrian-German automotive engineer, Ferdinand Porsche. Born on this day (Sept 3) in 1875, Porsche envisioned the creation of the Volkswagen Beetle, a lovable, economy car with its patented rounded roof that thrived over 65 years (1938 to 2003) and became affectionately known as the ‘Bug.’ It was supplanted by the new Volkswagen Beetle, which lasted in several versions for another 15 years.
Sadly, there are no more Volkswagen Beetles in production – the last one was officially made in July 2019. It’s hard to imagine that a veritable icon like the Volkswagen Beetle will one day no longer grace us with its presence on the byways across our nation. Let’s just hope the real beetles, and all the other insects on this Earth that disturb our evening enjoyment on our decks overseeing our backyards, do not succumb to a similar fate.
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