Expert: Walter Hintz - 7/27/2005

Question
the interelationship between man, insect and his environment

Answer
Hello IFEANY:
 I could really go overboard answering this kind of a question.  A book could be written about it, but time constraints demand brevity.
 In my classes I refer to what I call the three unofficial laws of Ecology.  They are
1. Everything is connected to everything else
2. Everything has to go someplace and
3. There is no such thing as a free lunch
Your question speaks to number 1.  There is a connection between all life forms and with respect to insects there is no exception.  To illustrate lets use our ability to abstract and assume the disappearance of all insects.  What happens?
Disappearance of insect borne disease.
Disappearance of flowers,and fruits.
Overpopulation of certain plants and a complete change in plant populations on Earth.
Most decay of dead organic materials no longer occurs and the carbon cycle is effected.
Death of all organisms that depend upon the presence of insects in the food web including many fish, birds,spiders,reptiles, and amphibians.

 We do not live in an alien world wher we are observers who stand aside and merely watch what goes on.  We are affected by everything that happens.