There are more than 200 million insects for each human on Earth, i.e., more than all the grains of sand on all the world’s beaches. After mating, a female praying mantis notoriously bites off the head of the male; there is an evolutionary advantage for this sexual cannibalism. After identifying its prey and initiating a chase, a lion has one chance in four of capturing that prey; the success rate of a dragon fly is more than 95%. The dragon fly’s great hunting efficiency depends significantly on its marvelous nearly spherical compound eyes and its four independently and rapidly moving wings that allow not only hovering but also flying backwards and upside down. Insect pollinators are responsible for about 35% of global food production, and every third bite of our food is owed to the action of some pollinator.
This SDG will explore the story of insects generally and their basic structure and function more particularly. The core books are entomologist Michael S. Engel’s Innumerable Insects: The Story Of The Most Diverse And Myriad Animals On Earth, which features illustrations from antique books in the library of the American Museum of Natural History, and Marianne Taylor’s How Insects Work: An Illustrated Guide To The Wonders Of Form And Function, From Antennae To Wings, with numerous photos and clear diagrams.
