A report published in the journal Biological Conservation says insects could vanish within a century at the current rate of decline and the heavy use of pesticides, urbanisation and climate change are significant factors.
'The world’s insects are hurtling down the path to extinction, threatening a catastrophic collapse of nature’s ecosystems' according to the review with over 40% of insect species in decline and a third endangered.
My first reaction is to say good, bloody insects but reading on it explains the implications for humans as insects are 'essential for the proper functioning of all ecosystems, as food for other creatures, pollinators and recyclers of nutrients' and that 'we humans cannot survive without insects'.
So maybe i was a bit hasty in cheering and ushering in the demise of insects, an insect free sit in the park in summer is quite lightweight compared to the continued survival of the human race.
With that in mind i am willing to make a compromise and accept that we need some insects for pollinating and such as long as we rid ourselves of others.
Crane Flies (aka daddy long legs) can sod off as can mosquitoes, earwigs, woodlice, horse flies and midges. We can do without flies and bluebottles and the World (and picnics) would be a much better place without hornets and wasps so that's my compromise.
We can keep beetles, moths and butterflies and i am even willing to allow spiders to continue being if my milk-bottle white arms and legs remain free of bitey, stingy things this summer.
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