Hidden World
 |
Description
Book Introduction
“The world comes alive only when we ask about the well-being of small things!”
If this world is made up of countless small things,
All the wonders of the world began with useful invaders: insects.
"The Hidden World" is a fascinating science book that explores how insects, invisible to the human eye, have dominated the world and changed human history.
George McGavin, a renowned entomologist, authority on nature, and presenter of BBC documentary programs, has played a role in widely informing people about the lives, livelihoods, ecosystems, and even biodiversity of insects. Through this book, he has tried to once again capture the insects that we did not know about or only knew about in a simple and enjoyable way.
This book aims to show how insects, which appeared on Earth long before humans and conquered the planet, have preserved their meaning of existence through cooperation, prosperity, betrayal, and extinction throughout 4.5 billion years of Earth's history; what the secret lives of insects, which move the world from unseen places, are like; and how insects have become a key to the future and survival of humanity.
So how many species of insects are currently living on Earth? Despite tremendous scientific progress—medical advancements, the proof of subatomic particles, and the ability to use space telescopes to observe the afterglow of the Big Bang—we still remain unable to answer this fundamental question.
No, I can't answer that.
Because countless insects constitute, dominate, and move this world and the Earth.
Insects are the first animals to appear on land and the first animals to fly in the sky.
So how have they survived so long in history? To answer this question, McGavin interviewed seven insect experts, including world-renowned zoologist and nature documentary master Sir David Attenborough, to sing a hymn of praise for insects and delve deeper into their creative behavior.
If this world is made up of countless small things,
All the wonders of the world began with useful invaders: insects.
"The Hidden World" is a fascinating science book that explores how insects, invisible to the human eye, have dominated the world and changed human history.
George McGavin, a renowned entomologist, authority on nature, and presenter of BBC documentary programs, has played a role in widely informing people about the lives, livelihoods, ecosystems, and even biodiversity of insects. Through this book, he has tried to once again capture the insects that we did not know about or only knew about in a simple and enjoyable way.
This book aims to show how insects, which appeared on Earth long before humans and conquered the planet, have preserved their meaning of existence through cooperation, prosperity, betrayal, and extinction throughout 4.5 billion years of Earth's history; what the secret lives of insects, which move the world from unseen places, are like; and how insects have become a key to the future and survival of humanity.
So how many species of insects are currently living on Earth? Despite tremendous scientific progress—medical advancements, the proof of subatomic particles, and the ability to use space telescopes to observe the afterglow of the Big Bang—we still remain unable to answer this fundamental question.
No, I can't answer that.
Because countless insects constitute, dominate, and move this world and the Earth.
Insects are the first animals to appear on land and the first animals to fly in the sky.
So how have they survived so long in history? To answer this question, McGavin interviewed seven insect experts, including world-renowned zoologist and nature documentary master Sir David Attenborough, to sing a hymn of praise for insects and delve deeper into their creative behavior.
- You can preview some of the book's contents.
Preview
index
prolog
Chapter 1.
Creatures of the Blue Lagoon
Small World│Six Legs of Excellence│Childhood│How Many Species Are There?│In the Beginning│Increase of Oxygen│More Cells Are Better Than One│Creatures of the Blue Lagoon | Interview 1.
The wild animals lived well
Chapter 2.
Excellent body
Nature's Design│Interview 2.
Life Lessons from Grasshoppers│Six Superpowers│Superior Armor│Size Matters│Amazing Wiring│Supersensory Powers│Amazing Wings│Amazing Reproduction Speed
Chapter 3.
How to build a pyramid
Living Lab│Insect Ecology | Names of Components│Biomass and Energy│Under Our Feet│A Colorful World│Sweet Rewards│Queen of the Prairie│The Sorcerer's Apprentice│Useful Intruders│Interview 3.
Ladybug Lovers│Friend or Foe│What Use Are Wasps?│Chain-Block Effect
Chapter 4.
Surprise encounters and surprising combinations
Dangerous Secret Love│Basic Structure of the Reproductive System│A Glance│Meeting│Smell and Song│Interview 4.
The Amazing Sex Life of Crickets│Orgies and Death│Short Encounters│There's No Such Thing as a Free Meal│Mating While Being Eaten│Sparkling│Keeping Bedbugs Away│He's My Male
Chapter 5.
body snatcher
Flesh-eating insects│Slow death│The wasp's thin waist│The living food warehouse│The life of an insect│No place to hide│The sting│A tiny assassin│The bee surrounded│Into the unknown
Chapter 6.
After life
A giant recycling plant│The world is full of flies│A box of corruption│An undertaker│A very bad smell│Cooperation│Medicine and a killer│Interview 5.
Paris is the best│Nothing is safe│Naphthalene
Chapter 7.
What insects have done for us
What did insects do?│Black Death│Blood-sucking insects│Insects on the battlefield│Tasty larvae│Bee vomit and other useful things│Redcoat│Insect spit│Natural medicines│Interview 6.
The Amazing Aspects of the 400 Million-Year War Between Plants and Insects│Historical Records│Model Organisms
Chapter 8.
Healing a Wounded World
Is this the beginning of the end? Where have all the insects gone? Mass extinction. The age of humanity. Interview 7.
Insect Love Revealed│Exhausted Nature│Into the Ssamji Garden│Dead Trees│Comprehensive Destruction│Moth Blitz│Poisoning the Earth│Fatal Flaws│A Heating World│Growth and Stagnation
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
Translator's Note
Good books to read together
Chapter 1.
Creatures of the Blue Lagoon
Small World│Six Legs of Excellence│Childhood│How Many Species Are There?│In the Beginning│Increase of Oxygen│More Cells Are Better Than One│Creatures of the Blue Lagoon | Interview 1.
The wild animals lived well
Chapter 2.
Excellent body
Nature's Design│Interview 2.
Life Lessons from Grasshoppers│Six Superpowers│Superior Armor│Size Matters│Amazing Wiring│Supersensory Powers│Amazing Wings│Amazing Reproduction Speed
Chapter 3.
How to build a pyramid
Living Lab│Insect Ecology | Names of Components│Biomass and Energy│Under Our Feet│A Colorful World│Sweet Rewards│Queen of the Prairie│The Sorcerer's Apprentice│Useful Intruders│Interview 3.
Ladybug Lovers│Friend or Foe│What Use Are Wasps?│Chain-Block Effect
Chapter 4.
Surprise encounters and surprising combinations
Dangerous Secret Love│Basic Structure of the Reproductive System│A Glance│Meeting│Smell and Song│Interview 4.
The Amazing Sex Life of Crickets│Orgies and Death│Short Encounters│There's No Such Thing as a Free Meal│Mating While Being Eaten│Sparkling│Keeping Bedbugs Away│He's My Male
Chapter 5.
body snatcher
Flesh-eating insects│Slow death│The wasp's thin waist│The living food warehouse│The life of an insect│No place to hide│The sting│A tiny assassin│The bee surrounded│Into the unknown
Chapter 6.
After life
A giant recycling plant│The world is full of flies│A box of corruption│An undertaker│A very bad smell│Cooperation│Medicine and a killer│Interview 5.
Paris is the best│Nothing is safe│Naphthalene
Chapter 7.
What insects have done for us
What did insects do?│Black Death│Blood-sucking insects│Insects on the battlefield│Tasty larvae│Bee vomit and other useful things│Redcoat│Insect spit│Natural medicines│Interview 6.
The Amazing Aspects of the 400 Million-Year War Between Plants and Insects│Historical Records│Model Organisms
Chapter 8.
Healing a Wounded World
Is this the beginning of the end? Where have all the insects gone? Mass extinction. The age of humanity. Interview 7.
Insect Love Revealed│Exhausted Nature│Into the Ssamji Garden│Dead Trees│Comprehensive Destruction│Moth Blitz│Poisoning the Earth│Fatal Flaws│A Heating World│Growth and Stagnation
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
Translator's Note
Good books to read together
Detailed image
Into the book
Here I simply point out that without bees, flies, and beetles, the world would be an unrecognizable place.
Flowering plants would not be pollinated, decaying matter and waste would not be recycled, and countless animals, including bush babies, would have no food.
The entire ecological balance of the Earth is completely dependent on the extremely large number of insects, and has been this way for a very long time indeed.
Without insects, there would be no bushbabies.
You don't have any either.
Of course I don't have any either.
--- 「Chapter 1.
From "Creatures of the Blue Lagoon"
The incredible diversity and phenomenal success of insects is possible only because of their incomparable design.
(…) Evolution has been honing the ultimate survivors over millions of years, and it is hard to imagine an animal more adaptable and resourceful than insects.
(…) Over time, the arrangement of body parts evolved to be more advantageous for survival, and body segments came together to form body parts with specific functions.
Through this fusion, each body segment could develop into a region dedicated to a specific task.
And evolution has modified and refined the ancient insect blueprint over hundreds of millions of years, producing countless species based on three body parts: head, thorax, and abdomen.
--- 「Chapter 2.
From "Excellent Body"
The impact of insects on the ecosystem is indescribably enormous.
This is because insects are the world's food source, and the food chain itself depends on insects.
We depend on insects, especially bees, to carry pollen, which accounts for about a third of the food we eat.
Flies and beetles are animals that consume and recycle dead bodies, and they also process the enormous amounts of waste that accumulate on the surface every day.
When talking about African wildlife and the word 'herbivore' comes up, wildebeest, elephants, and zebras will probably immediately come to mind.
But you might be surprised to learn that these giant, sniffing hooves 'eat' only a tenth of the amount of plant matter that the billions of insects nibble with their tiny jaws.
--- Chapter 3.
From "How to Build a Pyramid"
From the moment I opened a drawer full of longimanus longimanus in the Oxford University insectarium, I was captivated by these creatures.
This beetle, which lives in the tropical forests of South America, is over 8 centimeters long and has a striking pattern of bright coral red, black, and silvery white.
As amazing as its appearance is, what's truly remarkable about this animal are its forelimbs.
This is especially true of the male's forelimbs, which are much longer than the body itself.
Why did evolution give this insect ridiculously long legs?
--- 「Chapter 4.
From “Surprise Encounters and Amazing Combinations”
As we slowly realize how crucial honeybees are to our survival, not to mention our food supply, we must also recognize that these indispensable insects are in trouble on multiple fronts.
As bees are sprayed with massive amounts of pesticides and wildflower-filled areas disappear, they also face a host of natural enemies.
Life is never easy for bees, as they are attacked by all sorts of creatures, from viruses, bacteria, and fungi to spiders, wasps, and birds.
--- Chapter 5.
From "The Body Snatcher"
Black flies, including the copperhead flies, are a common feature in crime investigations on novels and television.
As a corpse begins to decompose, a variety of insect species swarm in succession, and because the timing and temperature of each species are predictable, flies have come to occupy a formidable position in forensic science.
Crime dramas often feature scenes where the police enter a building and discover a body.
The door to the corpse is closed, but a foul smell emanates from inside, and the sound of flies buzzing can also be heard.
Black flies are quick to locate a dead body, and in warm conditions, the next generation of flies can emerge in less than three weeks.
--- 「Chapter 6.
From "After Life"
We now know a lot about the bacterium that caused the Black Death.
When a flea bites a rodent, such as a mouse, infected with this bacterium, the bacterium enters the flea's intestines, and when the flea bites another animal, the bacterium is transmitted again.
Fleas have a recognizable form.
This small, wingless insect is only 3 millimeters long, has a uniquely flattened shape, and can jump incredibly high.
The majority of flea species are external parasites that feed on the blood of terrestrial animals, while the remainder feed on the blood of avian species.
Fleas can survive anywhere in the Arctic, as long as they can find a suitable host.
--- Chapter 7.
From "What Insects Have Done for Us"
Several lines of evidence suggest that insect populations have declined dramatically during my lifetime.
We may want to ignore it, but it seems we are the ones who did it.
There are several reasons why insects are so often overlooked.
Insects are often associated in the public imagination with epidemics and famine, except for butterflies and bees, which are widely loved for their small size, beauty, and generosity.
I get asked this question a lot when I talk about insects in front of an audience.
“Why should I care whether an insect species I’ve never seen or heard of disappears?” This is a question that cannot be answered in a concise manner.
Biodiversity and ecosystems are incredibly complex, and after all, we are only just beginning to understand how life on Earth works.
--- Chapter 8.
From "Healing the Wounded World"
Some would argue that bacteria and fungi are the most important organisms, and they may be right.
But I've spent my whole life studying insects, and I will continue to be an insect advocate until the day I put down my magnifying glass.
While it's becoming easier to talk to people about insects these days, we need to make it more widely known that we owe them a tremendous debt.
Insects have a remarkable ability to adapt to environmental changes.
Whatever changes we make, it's clear that insects will have tens or hundreds of times greater chances of surviving in a different future than we do.
Flowering plants would not be pollinated, decaying matter and waste would not be recycled, and countless animals, including bush babies, would have no food.
The entire ecological balance of the Earth is completely dependent on the extremely large number of insects, and has been this way for a very long time indeed.
Without insects, there would be no bushbabies.
You don't have any either.
Of course I don't have any either.
--- 「Chapter 1.
From "Creatures of the Blue Lagoon"
The incredible diversity and phenomenal success of insects is possible only because of their incomparable design.
(…) Evolution has been honing the ultimate survivors over millions of years, and it is hard to imagine an animal more adaptable and resourceful than insects.
(…) Over time, the arrangement of body parts evolved to be more advantageous for survival, and body segments came together to form body parts with specific functions.
Through this fusion, each body segment could develop into a region dedicated to a specific task.
And evolution has modified and refined the ancient insect blueprint over hundreds of millions of years, producing countless species based on three body parts: head, thorax, and abdomen.
--- 「Chapter 2.
From "Excellent Body"
The impact of insects on the ecosystem is indescribably enormous.
This is because insects are the world's food source, and the food chain itself depends on insects.
We depend on insects, especially bees, to carry pollen, which accounts for about a third of the food we eat.
Flies and beetles are animals that consume and recycle dead bodies, and they also process the enormous amounts of waste that accumulate on the surface every day.
When talking about African wildlife and the word 'herbivore' comes up, wildebeest, elephants, and zebras will probably immediately come to mind.
But you might be surprised to learn that these giant, sniffing hooves 'eat' only a tenth of the amount of plant matter that the billions of insects nibble with their tiny jaws.
--- Chapter 3.
From "How to Build a Pyramid"
From the moment I opened a drawer full of longimanus longimanus in the Oxford University insectarium, I was captivated by these creatures.
This beetle, which lives in the tropical forests of South America, is over 8 centimeters long and has a striking pattern of bright coral red, black, and silvery white.
As amazing as its appearance is, what's truly remarkable about this animal are its forelimbs.
This is especially true of the male's forelimbs, which are much longer than the body itself.
Why did evolution give this insect ridiculously long legs?
--- 「Chapter 4.
From “Surprise Encounters and Amazing Combinations”
As we slowly realize how crucial honeybees are to our survival, not to mention our food supply, we must also recognize that these indispensable insects are in trouble on multiple fronts.
As bees are sprayed with massive amounts of pesticides and wildflower-filled areas disappear, they also face a host of natural enemies.
Life is never easy for bees, as they are attacked by all sorts of creatures, from viruses, bacteria, and fungi to spiders, wasps, and birds.
--- Chapter 5.
From "The Body Snatcher"
Black flies, including the copperhead flies, are a common feature in crime investigations on novels and television.
As a corpse begins to decompose, a variety of insect species swarm in succession, and because the timing and temperature of each species are predictable, flies have come to occupy a formidable position in forensic science.
Crime dramas often feature scenes where the police enter a building and discover a body.
The door to the corpse is closed, but a foul smell emanates from inside, and the sound of flies buzzing can also be heard.
Black flies are quick to locate a dead body, and in warm conditions, the next generation of flies can emerge in less than three weeks.
--- 「Chapter 6.
From "After Life"
We now know a lot about the bacterium that caused the Black Death.
When a flea bites a rodent, such as a mouse, infected with this bacterium, the bacterium enters the flea's intestines, and when the flea bites another animal, the bacterium is transmitted again.
Fleas have a recognizable form.
This small, wingless insect is only 3 millimeters long, has a uniquely flattened shape, and can jump incredibly high.
The majority of flea species are external parasites that feed on the blood of terrestrial animals, while the remainder feed on the blood of avian species.
Fleas can survive anywhere in the Arctic, as long as they can find a suitable host.
--- Chapter 7.
From "What Insects Have Done for Us"
Several lines of evidence suggest that insect populations have declined dramatically during my lifetime.
We may want to ignore it, but it seems we are the ones who did it.
There are several reasons why insects are so often overlooked.
Insects are often associated in the public imagination with epidemics and famine, except for butterflies and bees, which are widely loved for their small size, beauty, and generosity.
I get asked this question a lot when I talk about insects in front of an audience.
“Why should I care whether an insect species I’ve never seen or heard of disappears?” This is a question that cannot be answered in a concise manner.
Biodiversity and ecosystems are incredibly complex, and after all, we are only just beginning to understand how life on Earth works.
--- Chapter 8.
From "Healing the Wounded World"
Some would argue that bacteria and fungi are the most important organisms, and they may be right.
But I've spent my whole life studying insects, and I will continue to be an insect advocate until the day I put down my magnifying glass.
While it's becoming easier to talk to people about insects these days, we need to make it more widely known that we owe them a tremendous debt.
Insects have a remarkable ability to adapt to environmental changes.
Whatever changes we make, it's clear that insects will have tens or hundreds of times greater chances of surviving in a different future than we do.
--- From "Epilogue"
Publisher's Review
“The world comes alive only when we ask about the well-being of small things!”
★ Recommended by world-renowned zoologist and nature documentary master David Attenborough ★
★ 『Learning Insect Evolution through Comics』 by Galois highly recommended ★
If this world is made up of countless small things,
All the wonders of the world began with useful invaders: insects.
Swarms of pitch-black crickets covering the city center, locusts raiding rice paddies and devouring rice ready for harvest, love bugs and oriental mayflies that have taken over Seoul and are causing eyebrows, cockroaches that breed rapidly after the rainy season… … .
Insects that we hear about through news or newspaper articles are generally stigmatized as disgusting and harmful pests to humans.
They are stigmatized beings who, without any interest or affection, are avoided by everyone, saying that even the mere mention of an insect's burrow would make their hair stand on end.
Why and when did we come to dislike these tiny creatures we call bugs, or those crawling and writhing things? Are insects truly, as we believe, harmful parasites that harm humans, other plants, and animals? Are they a major cause of epidemics and famine? If so, shouldn't we be actively fighting insect control across the globe, even if it means spraying large quantities of pesticides?
Insects whose existence has fallen to the ground, with criticism that they deserve to be killed and disappear rather than celebrated for their birth and life.
Insects that look creepy and disgusting just by looking at them, with their unusually long and thin legs compared to their bodies, their eyes located in somewhat strange places, their bodies covered in dense patterns, and their ugly mouths, look like pests that would attack indiscriminately, but in fact, many of them are beneficial insects that provide us with benefits.
We live with the help of countless insects, whether we know it or not, such as ladybugs that eat up to hundreds of aphids a day, bees and butterflies that diligently transfer pollen to ensure proper pollination, and love bugs that purify the environment during their larval stage and act as pollinators during their adult stage.
Above all, insects are the world's food, and the food chain itself depends on them, so their impact on the ecosystem is indescribably enormous.
Yet, instead of expressing gratitude, aren't we belittling and insulting these small, precious helpers, pointing out their uselessness? Insects, invertebrates, are increasingly losing their place in the world due to environmental pollution, climate change, pesticide use, and changing land use.
In a world where insects are disappearing faster than they are being named, entomologist George McGavin realized that now was our last chance to delve deeply into the stories of insects and decided to share the fascinating stories surrounding them.
There is only one reason: even insects, once the most diverse and abundant group of animals that have ever lived on Earth, are rapidly declining in number.
Life lessons learned from invisible beings
The Uses of These Amazing Insects
Author George McGavin says that if we want to understand how important insects have been to the Earth's ecology, we need to first understand the surprising foundations on which insects have successfully sustained their lives.
The reason insects have been able to maintain their diversity until now is because they have maintained the basic body plan consisting of three parts: head, thorax, and abdomen for a long time.
Evolution has been a recurring process over millions of years, refining the ultimate survivors, and systems are directly related to efficiency, naturally evolving over time in a way that is advantageous to survival.
This is why insects, which vary in size and shape, maintain a remarkable diversity, yet their overall systems are surprisingly similar.
It may be hard to believe that the Earth has been ruled by such a simple form.
But if we were tasked with creating a small machine that could survive in a wide variety of environments, sustain itself, and even reproduce, we would likely have to come up with something insect-like.
Insects, which have shown prosperity and growth with the simplest yet most perfect body structures, will surprise us with what other wonders and wisdom of life they possess.
The author delves into the unknown truths about this powerful animal species and the hidden impact they have had on the planet.
From locusts, which provided the foundational theory for understanding the link between human protein intake, eating disorders, and obesity, to bees, which provide honey that is not only sweet but also used to treat various minor ailments such as burns and wounds, to silkworms, whose saliva produces silk, which is popular for its soft texture and luxuriousness, to scale insects, which were once used as a dye to dye the redcoats, the uniforms that symbolized the British Army, to goldflies, which are useful in estimating the time of death in murder cases, to maggots, which help to remove wounds that cannot be treated by human hands and even have an antibacterial effect.
Exploring the many surprising and useful properties of insects, which humans have borrowed for thousands of years, brings home anew how fascinating, bizarre, and important insects are.
Furthermore, the author unfolds the story in the hope that the wondrous survival strategies and values of life demonstrated by these small creatures will help to resolve the curiosity of those who point to plants and animals and ask, "What are they useful for?" or question the very existence of insects.
A serenade to the insects we encounter as we roam the Earth.
A final defense for the little things that gradually disappear without a trace
Insects are considered the most powerful creatures on Earth, having evolved over hundreds of millions of years to develop incredible adaptability and resilience.
If so, wouldn't they be able to adapt and survive despite any external threats and changes they face? However, in the Anthropocene era, where we live in the face of the sixth mass extinction, it is becoming increasingly difficult for insects to ensure their species' continued survival.
This means that if we do not make efforts to preserve these small creatures called insects in the future, we cannot guarantee that even the infinitely weak human beings will survive.
If the Earth is becoming difficult for insects, who have already shown a tenacious vitality by surviving several cataclysms, then wouldn't it be even more difficult for humans, who are just newcomers to the planet, to live here?
The total biomass of insects is estimated to be more than ten times greater than the biomass of all humans and livestock combined.
If all vertebrates, including us, disappeared overnight, the world would still function just fine, but if invertebrates like insects disappeared, terrestrial ecosystems would soon collapse.
The soil will no longer be fertile.
Many plants will no longer be able to transfer pollen.
Many animals, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals will not be able to eat anything.
The fields and pastures will be covered with dung and dead bodies.
The world will become a completely unrecognizable place.
The author says we must not forget that insects have been living on this planet long before our fish-like ancestors stood up in shallow waters with fin-like legs, poking their heads above the water's surface to gaze upon dry land.
And we must remember that insects will still live here after we are gone.
This means that the survival of humanity will depend on how deeply we understand insects and actively seek ways to coexist and live together with them.
Our actions have always determined our future, and will continue to do so.
So, we must not miss this moment, the last opportunity to take a deep interest in the fate of insects.
Because it is obvious that if the insects that created this world completely disappear, we will also disappear.
★ Recommended by world-renowned zoologist and nature documentary master David Attenborough ★
★ 『Learning Insect Evolution through Comics』 by Galois highly recommended ★
If this world is made up of countless small things,
All the wonders of the world began with useful invaders: insects.
Swarms of pitch-black crickets covering the city center, locusts raiding rice paddies and devouring rice ready for harvest, love bugs and oriental mayflies that have taken over Seoul and are causing eyebrows, cockroaches that breed rapidly after the rainy season… … .
Insects that we hear about through news or newspaper articles are generally stigmatized as disgusting and harmful pests to humans.
They are stigmatized beings who, without any interest or affection, are avoided by everyone, saying that even the mere mention of an insect's burrow would make their hair stand on end.
Why and when did we come to dislike these tiny creatures we call bugs, or those crawling and writhing things? Are insects truly, as we believe, harmful parasites that harm humans, other plants, and animals? Are they a major cause of epidemics and famine? If so, shouldn't we be actively fighting insect control across the globe, even if it means spraying large quantities of pesticides?
Insects whose existence has fallen to the ground, with criticism that they deserve to be killed and disappear rather than celebrated for their birth and life.
Insects that look creepy and disgusting just by looking at them, with their unusually long and thin legs compared to their bodies, their eyes located in somewhat strange places, their bodies covered in dense patterns, and their ugly mouths, look like pests that would attack indiscriminately, but in fact, many of them are beneficial insects that provide us with benefits.
We live with the help of countless insects, whether we know it or not, such as ladybugs that eat up to hundreds of aphids a day, bees and butterflies that diligently transfer pollen to ensure proper pollination, and love bugs that purify the environment during their larval stage and act as pollinators during their adult stage.
Above all, insects are the world's food, and the food chain itself depends on them, so their impact on the ecosystem is indescribably enormous.
Yet, instead of expressing gratitude, aren't we belittling and insulting these small, precious helpers, pointing out their uselessness? Insects, invertebrates, are increasingly losing their place in the world due to environmental pollution, climate change, pesticide use, and changing land use.
In a world where insects are disappearing faster than they are being named, entomologist George McGavin realized that now was our last chance to delve deeply into the stories of insects and decided to share the fascinating stories surrounding them.
There is only one reason: even insects, once the most diverse and abundant group of animals that have ever lived on Earth, are rapidly declining in number.
Life lessons learned from invisible beings
The Uses of These Amazing Insects
Author George McGavin says that if we want to understand how important insects have been to the Earth's ecology, we need to first understand the surprising foundations on which insects have successfully sustained their lives.
The reason insects have been able to maintain their diversity until now is because they have maintained the basic body plan consisting of three parts: head, thorax, and abdomen for a long time.
Evolution has been a recurring process over millions of years, refining the ultimate survivors, and systems are directly related to efficiency, naturally evolving over time in a way that is advantageous to survival.
This is why insects, which vary in size and shape, maintain a remarkable diversity, yet their overall systems are surprisingly similar.
It may be hard to believe that the Earth has been ruled by such a simple form.
But if we were tasked with creating a small machine that could survive in a wide variety of environments, sustain itself, and even reproduce, we would likely have to come up with something insect-like.
Insects, which have shown prosperity and growth with the simplest yet most perfect body structures, will surprise us with what other wonders and wisdom of life they possess.
The author delves into the unknown truths about this powerful animal species and the hidden impact they have had on the planet.
From locusts, which provided the foundational theory for understanding the link between human protein intake, eating disorders, and obesity, to bees, which provide honey that is not only sweet but also used to treat various minor ailments such as burns and wounds, to silkworms, whose saliva produces silk, which is popular for its soft texture and luxuriousness, to scale insects, which were once used as a dye to dye the redcoats, the uniforms that symbolized the British Army, to goldflies, which are useful in estimating the time of death in murder cases, to maggots, which help to remove wounds that cannot be treated by human hands and even have an antibacterial effect.
Exploring the many surprising and useful properties of insects, which humans have borrowed for thousands of years, brings home anew how fascinating, bizarre, and important insects are.
Furthermore, the author unfolds the story in the hope that the wondrous survival strategies and values of life demonstrated by these small creatures will help to resolve the curiosity of those who point to plants and animals and ask, "What are they useful for?" or question the very existence of insects.
A serenade to the insects we encounter as we roam the Earth.
A final defense for the little things that gradually disappear without a trace
Insects are considered the most powerful creatures on Earth, having evolved over hundreds of millions of years to develop incredible adaptability and resilience.
If so, wouldn't they be able to adapt and survive despite any external threats and changes they face? However, in the Anthropocene era, where we live in the face of the sixth mass extinction, it is becoming increasingly difficult for insects to ensure their species' continued survival.
This means that if we do not make efforts to preserve these small creatures called insects in the future, we cannot guarantee that even the infinitely weak human beings will survive.
If the Earth is becoming difficult for insects, who have already shown a tenacious vitality by surviving several cataclysms, then wouldn't it be even more difficult for humans, who are just newcomers to the planet, to live here?
The total biomass of insects is estimated to be more than ten times greater than the biomass of all humans and livestock combined.
If all vertebrates, including us, disappeared overnight, the world would still function just fine, but if invertebrates like insects disappeared, terrestrial ecosystems would soon collapse.
The soil will no longer be fertile.
Many plants will no longer be able to transfer pollen.
Many animals, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals will not be able to eat anything.
The fields and pastures will be covered with dung and dead bodies.
The world will become a completely unrecognizable place.
The author says we must not forget that insects have been living on this planet long before our fish-like ancestors stood up in shallow waters with fin-like legs, poking their heads above the water's surface to gaze upon dry land.
And we must remember that insects will still live here after we are gone.
This means that the survival of humanity will depend on how deeply we understand insects and actively seek ways to coexist and live together with them.
Our actions have always determined our future, and will continue to do so.
So, we must not miss this moment, the last opportunity to take a deep interest in the fate of insects.
Because it is obvious that if the insects that created this world completely disappear, we will also disappear.
GOODS SPECIFICS
- Date of issue: December 26, 2024
- Page count, weight, size: 336 pages | 480g | 135*205*20mm
- ISBN13: 9791141154257
- ISBN10: 1141154250
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