Page 40 - FWG 9 October 2021

Book Review

hey! what about iNsects?

B y James cL ar K e

he general public, by inclination, is, basically, a delightful book of serious
tends to view conservationists science filled with excellent illustrations
as people concerned mostly (1 600 photographs alone) and bite-
T with saving the big, hairy and sized, though intricate, texts describing
cuddly. Unfair, perhaps, yet maybe we individual species, their anatomy, their
conservationists deserve that rather incredibly diverse but critically important
narrow image. roles in the various ecosystems and their
status.
These were my thoughts after spending
hours reading – or, rather, compulsively It made me wonder how many of us
and happily browsing one of the most conservationists are currently aware
browsable books I have ever come across: of the seriousness of the decline in the
Pollinators, Predators & Parasites published populations of critically important species
by Struik Nature. here and overseas.

I found myself, figuratively at least, sitting According to the foreword by Johan van
bolt upright soon after I opened the book. I Zyl, Pretoria University’s vice-chancellor
realised how conservationists (and I include and professor of agriculture, “Disturbing
myself) and our institutions, have signally recent studies have reported alarming
failed to recognise the pivotal role of insects declines of insect populations with as
when it comes to human survival and the many as half of the world’s insects so
threats building up against the 50 000 or so rapidly declining that one third may
recognised South African species. already be threatened with extinction.
Without quick intervention to slow or
Not that this 450 page book was intended reverse the situation, the environmental
to be yet another ‘green’ exhortation. It consequences are likely to be catastrophic.”

Worker honeybees are all female Lattice moths – one of the few diurnal moths
Photo by Hennie de Klerk Photo by Hennie de Klerk

Foam locust: the foam is a repellent against would-be predators Butterflies - the second most important pollinators after bees
Photo by Mike Picker Photo by Hennie de Klerk

Fourways Gardens • 38 • October 2021