June 21, 2021
Entomologist Goulson (The Garden Jungle) decries “alarming declines” in world insect populations in this perhaps too impassioned treatise. A drastic drop in bug life is catastrophic for biodiversity and “all terrestrial and freshwater food chains,” Goulson warns, and the reasons come down to climate change, habitat loss, overuse of pesticides, and the spread of invasive diseases. Touting insects as “the rivets that keep the ecosystem functioning,” the author envisions an “impoverished and degraded” bugless Earth and points out problems already popping up in China, Bengal, and Brazil, where farmers must hand-pollinate their crops because of a bee shortage. Insects service 87% of flora, he writes, and they provide food to nearly 80% of humans
. Though Goulson makes a strong case, his haughty tone (“I am not... religious, but if you are, consider this; Do you really think God created wonderful diversity... so that we could exterminate it?”) and vague conjecturing (“I would guess that more than 90 percent of the world’s population do not think at all about environmental issues”) detract from his message’s urgency. Goulson’s enthusiasm for the insect world is evident, but it also unfortunately drowns out the science.
Starred review from July 1, 2021
Most people dislike bugs. With few exceptions (butterflies), our initial impulse is to swat, squish, or spray the little creatures. But the prodigious work an estimated five million insect species perform is vastly underappreciated. They pollinate crops, control pests, keep soil healthy, recycle (leaves, dung, corpses), and are a major food source for bigger animals. In this terrific book about the weird, perilous, and wondrous world of bugs, biologist Goulson (A Buzz in the Meadow, 2015) warns, ""As insects become more scarce, our world will slowly grind to a halt, for it cannot function without them."" Insect populations have decreased by an estimated 75% in the last 50 years. Some reasons for their decline include destruction of natural habitats, pesticides, parasites and infections, and possibly climate change. Goulson writes with urgency and affection, describing butterflies as ""airheaded"" and bumblebees as ""the intellectual giants of the insect world."" Facts fly: Ants alone outnumber humans roughly one million to one. A queen termite can live longer than 50 years. Goulson rightly worries, ""We are committing ecocide on a biblical scale,"" but offers solutions. A thoughtful explanation of how the dramatic decline of insect species and numbers poses a dire threat to all life on earth.
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August 15, 2021
An award-winning entomologist and conservationist examines the importance of insects to our ongoing survival. Goulson, a professor of biology at the University of Sussex who has written about bees and other insects in A Sting in the Tale and other books, begins by exploring the history of these fascinating creatures, reflecting on periods in his life when butterflies and bees were more abundant than they are today. He also laments that future generations will likely see even fewer. Unfortunately, most people view insects as pests. However, the reality is that "as insects become more scarce, our world will slowly grind to a halt, for it cannot function without them." Goulson offers a devastating vision of the future--marked by starvation, disease, and lawlessness--that will come to pass unless meaningful action to protect insects is undertaken immediately. Among the many reasons for their decline are pesticides, light pollution, temperature changes, and the introduction of foreign plants and insects into local communities. Even though the author has dedicated years of his life to his research, he also acknowledges that ecologists and entomologists have "done a poor job of explaining the vital importance of insects to the general public." Striving to educate, he shows that while countless species are rapidly going extinct, there are glimmers of hope. "It is not yet too late," he writes. "Only a small proportion of insects...has gone extinct so far." Through concerted efforts--youth education, demands for political action and sustainable farming systems, and programs to green urban areas--there is still time for us to avert the apocalypse of the subtitle. Although much of the information here will not be new or surprising to avid nature readers, the author's enthusiasm and conversational tone drive home the need for change and create an inspiring reading experience. A hopeful, scientifically lucid, and timely call to action.
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