Did you know without insects, we could not exist? Yes, you read correctly. But how, you might ask? I encourage you to read on.
E.O. Wilson, an American biologist, naturalist, ecologist, entomologist, and author of Half-Earth, referred to insects as "the little things that run the world.” So, how can these tiny creatures be responsible for supporting all life?
In his book, Nature’s Best Hope, Douglas Tallamy notes that insects play essential ecological roles every day. Insects are responsible for pollinating 87.5% of all plants and 90% of all flowering plants. Plants convert energy from the sun into food, which is necessary for our survival, as well as for birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, and amphibians. Insects also serve as the primary means by which food produced by plants is delivered to animals. Most animals do not consume plants directly; instead, they often eat the insects that have converted plant sugars and carbohydrates into vital proteins and fats that sustain complex food webs.
In Nature’s Best Hope, Tallamy references that the powerhouses of our food webs are insects, specifically caterpillars and bees. Caterpillars are a crucial part of most bird diets, especially during the raising of their young, because they are soft, easy to digest, high in protein and fats, and the best sources of carotenoids, which help stimulate immune systems. One source of carotenoids is plants. Carotenoids are an essential part of a balanced diet.
Bees are equally important as they are the primary agents in pollinating a wide array of plants that make up our food web. Bees pollinate roughly a third of our crops. But remember when I mentioned earlier that pollinators, specifically bees, are responsible for pollinating 87.5% of all plants and 90% of all flowering plants? Well, if pollinators were to disappear, 87.5-90% of the plants would also vanish. This would be a devastating blow to our food web, impacting everyone from humans to mammals to birds.
So, how can we assist the insect kingdom in continuing its vital role in supporting life? We can ditch planting ornamental plants not native to our region and instead plant native plants in our yards and gardens. If you don’t have either, consider planting native plants in an outdoor pot. Native plants play a crucial role in maintaining insect populations and supporting the overall function of ecosystems. Insects have an evolutionary history with these plants and have learned to consume and digest them. This is why you often read that the most significant action you can take to help monarch butterflies is to plant milkweed. Monarchs have formed a relationship with the milkweed plant over millions of years. Changing how we approach what we plant in our gardens and yards can help advance conservation and shape our future, one native plant at a time.
To learn more about planting native plants, go to:
· Homegrown National Park;
https://homegrownnationalpark.org
· National Wildlife Federation;
https://www.nwf.org/Native-Plant-Habitats/Plant-Native
References:
1. Wilson, Edward O. Half-Earth: Our Planet’s Fight for Life. Liveright Publishing Corporation, 2016.
2. Tallamy, Douglas, W. Nature’s Best Hope: A New Approach to Conservation That Starts in Your Yard. Timber Press, 2019.
