Fearing the ‘Insect Apocalypse’?Renowned Entomologist Says ‘GetRid of Your Lawn’

Dr. May Berenbaum, professor of entomology and head of theDepartment of Entomology at the University of Illinois (CourtesyUniversity of Illinois)

The polar bear has become the poster child for climate change. Justpicture one of the furry white giants struggling to hang on to a meltingice cap and it’s clear why a fast-warming planet is a bad thing.

But increasing temperatures and rising sea levels impact many formsof life that rarely come up in discussions about the changingenvironment. That is why May Berenbaum would like us to also betalking about ice crawlers, a family of tiny, wingless insects that live on

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top of mountains and on the edges of glaciers.

“They depend on these cold, extreme habitats,” said Berenbaum, headof the Entomology Department at the University of Illinois and one ofthe world’s leading insect experts. “They don’t make great posters forvictims of climate change, but they are in great danger.”

On Thursday, Berenbaum will visit Lincoln Park’s Peggy NotebaertNature Museum to lead a public discussion about the importance ofpollinators and the growing body of research pointing to the rapiddecline of some insect species, a trend that has been labeled the“insect apocalypse.”

The insect crisis – Berenbaum doesn’t call it an “apocalypse” because“I’m not even sure what an apocalypse is. It doesn’t sound veryscientific” – is evidenced by a number of recent studies thatBerenbaum cites. A 2017 study, for example, found a 75% decline inthe biomass of flying insects across Germany over a period of 27years. Another study recorded a 35% decrease in global butterflypopulations over 40 years.

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A bumblebee lands on a flower. (Courtesy Chicago Botanic Garden)

The research has raised alarms about the large-scale loss of someinsects and what it means for the rest of the planet.

“It’s really easy to ignore insects because they’re small, but all the restof Earth depends on insects one way or another,” said Berenbaum,who last year was named editor in chief of the Proceedings of theNational Academy of Sciences, one of the world’s most-cited scientificjournals. “Insects feed the world. Not maybe humans directly – thoughthat’s changing too – but everything we eat for the most part.”

Bees, butterflies and other insects pollinate an estimated one-third ofall food crops consumed by humans, with pollinators contributing $217billion to the global economy. Insects also serve as food for a host ofanimal species, including many mammals and birds, which eat an

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estimated 550 million tons of insects each year.

Despite a growing awareness about the importance of insects sincethe massive decline in honeybee populations was first reported in2006, Berenbaum said there is so much we still don’t know aboutinsects and the role they play for other forms of life.

Although some 900,000 different kinds of living insects are known,there could be anywhere between 2 million and 30 million insectspecies. With so many types of insects still to be identified, it’s difficultto understand their importance.

“There are so many connections that we haven’t even begun toappreciate,” she said. “We usually find out when they go missing,which is not the best way to find out.”

University of Illinois entomology professor May Berenbaum receives aNational Medal of Science award from President Barack Obama at a

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White House ceremony on Nov. 20, 2014. (Courtesy National Scienceand Technology Medals Foundation)

An increase in the use of toxic pesticides has played a significant rolein the plight facing insects today, but Berenbaum said habitat losslinked to climate change is the main culprit. She offered Illinois as anexample. Nicknamed the Prairie State, Illinois is now made up of lessthan 0.1% prairie.

The loss of such habitat could be devastating for various types ofmoths and other insects that rely on it, she said.

“Tiny little moths can be important in many ways,” said Berenbaum,who received the National Medal of Science in 2014 from formerPresident Barack Obama. “Don’t dismiss an animal because it’s tiny. Itcould be playing an oversized role in the life of some other organism.”

What exactly can the average person do about all of this? Berenbaumhas several suggestions.

“Get rid of your lawns,” she said. “Lawns are total biological deserts.It’s just grass with pesticides. The way it’s grown does not support alot of biodiversity.”

Instead, plant native flowers that provide nectar and pollen forpollinators, Berenbaum said.

Another tip: Leave leaf litter in place. The dead plant material is animportant part of healthy soil and offers protection for insects duringthe winter, Berenbaum said.

Also, don’t use bug zappers, which Berenbaum said do not work in

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killing mosquitoes but do kill hundreds of beneficial species.

“It’s not even a major sacrifice because frankly, you’ll save the money,”she said.

For information about Berenbaum’s appearance Thursday at theNotebaert Nature Museum, visit the museum’s website.

Contact Alex Ruppenthal: @arupp | (773) 509-5623 | aruppenthal@wttw.com

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