Should humans hand over control? Looming war. Raging viruses. Plastic in the Arctic. And every sign that ten quintillion tiny creatures would do better than us at sorting it out.
'It is time to let insects run the world'
Should humans hand over control? Looming war. Raging viruses. Plastic in the Arctic. And every sign that ten quintillion tiny creatures would do better than us at sorting it out.
The bee opened her copy of The Daily Buzz. What was in the news today? A good day for collecting pollen, according to the weather forecast. But apart from that, just doom and gloom. Climate change was causing floods and forest fires; pollution had reached new levels; thousands more refugees were on the move. What a mess humans were making of the world!
Insects have every reason to be worried. Climate change and human activity is affecting them, too. A study carried out in 41 countries across the globe found that the number of land-based insectsThe great majority of insects live on land. Freshwater insects have increased in number, but there are far fewer of them. has been falling by almost 1% per year. The number of British butterflies has almost halved in the last 50 years. Yet insects are in many ways superior to humans.
1. Teamwork. Insects do not argue about their work - they know what they are supposed to do and just get on with it.
Bees have a highly organised social system, dividing up different tasks between them and looking after each other's offspring. As many as 50 million ants can live peacefully together in one colony. Swarming locusts move with military precision, with those at the back moving to the front when the leaders stop to feed.
Insects do vital work in pollinatingCarrying pollen from the male part of a plant to the female part to fertilise it. plants and provide food for birds, fish and other creatures. They have been described as the "little things that run the world".
2. Attitude. Insects do not complain of being bored or hard done by. Nor do they give up when things get difficult.
If ants find their usual route to a source of food blocked, they keep searching until they work out another way to get to it. Plus, they leave a chemical trail for others to follow.
3. Climate. Because there are so many insects - ten quintillionA 10 with 18 zeroes after it. - and they focus on much smaller things than we do, they are better able to tend to the environment.
Insects recognise the importance of a stable climate much better than we do. Scientists use the rare meltwater stonefly and western glacier stonefly to monitor ice levels. Experts call them "biological sentinelsSentries or people who keep lookout. of climate change".
4. Waste. Insects do not acquire things they do not need. And they make use of a lot that we consider rubbish.
Rotting food is a rich source of nourishment for maggots and flies. And decaying wood provides a habitat for woodliceThe singular is woodlouse. They largely feed on rotting food and plants..
5. Fitness. Insects keep themselves in peak condition instead of lazing in front of the TV or a computer. They are much better able to cope with life's challenges.
A dragonfly can fly in winds too strong for the biggest helicopter. Cockroaches can run at 50 body lengths per second, which is equivalent to a human running at 210 mph. Dracula ants can snap their jaws at 200 mph.
<h5 class=" eplus-wrapper">Should humans hand over control?</h5>
Yes: Insects do just what they are intended to by nature. They do not get distracted by selfish desires and troublesome ideas like humans. They would ensure that the ecosystem was perfectly balanced.
No: Insects have the tiniest of brains and can only think about feeding and reproducing. Humans are far more intelligent and realise that life is only worth living with higher ambitions than that.
Or... Everything has its place in the natural world. Humans are at the top of the hierarchy, but insects have an incredibly important part to play. We must do all we can to protect them.
Land-based insects - The great majority of insects live on land. Freshwater insects have increased in number, but there are far fewer of them.
Pollinating - Carrying pollen from the male part of a plant to the female part to fertilise it.
Ten quintillion - A 10 with 18 zeroes after it.
Sentinels - Sentries or people who keep lookout.
Woodlice - The singular is woodlouse. They largely feed on rotting food and plants.
‘It is time to let insects run the world’

Glossary
Land-based insects - The great majority of insects live on land. Freshwater insects have increased in number, but there are far fewer of them.
Pollinating - Carrying pollen from the male part of a plant to the female part to fertilise it.
Ten quintillion - A 10 with 18 zeroes after it.
Sentinels - Sentries or people who keep lookout.
Woodlice - The singular is woodlouse. They largely feed on rotting food and plants.