"I realize that many people do not like insects. The fourth graders are almost always exuberant, though, and when it comes to nature, there are no "ewwww"s in my class! Still, I do like to give a nod to the fact that bugs are not always appreciated. There are excellent reasons for this, reasons the kids can usually figure out: mosquitoes bite; wasps sting; beetles can eat corn, fruit and potatoes; bark beetles can kill many trees and destroy forests; insects sometimes carry diseases, which can infect people and livestock; termites can eat our homes. No wonder the killing off of insects is a thriving business around the world.
But wait! Let's not kill them all, and let's be very careful about which of our six-legged neighbors we do kill. If we are not careful, we'll destroy irreplaceable services that insects provide us for free."
(Broadcast: "Fieldnotes," 3/1/15. Listen weekly on the radio, Sundays at 12:55 p.m., or via podcast.)