What Insects Want
I am so pleased to hear that the New Hampshire Legislature will devote some attention to the crisis of insect decline in our state this coming session, including forming a committee to study the problem. However, one wonders how much studying would be necessary. The basic needs of our fine chitinous friends are already well-known, and easy steps could be taken to satisfy them.
Insects need space, but they’re small, so not very much.
The conservation model, which aims to preserve large, continuous habitats, is good for insects, but these tiny animals could also benefit from oasis-type areas integrated into the places we live and work. Every time we clear a lot to build something, or turn our lawns into sterile monuments to the aristocracy, we are destroying insect habitat. Could the state create incentives for homeowners, businesses, developers and landlords to rewild at least a portion of their properties? We could help landscapers transition to more ecologically productive outdoor designs, too.
Insects need resources all year round, not just sometimes.
Just last month, I saw the NH Department of Transportation mow down several small meadows along Highway 31. It seemed counterproductive to support insects during the spring and summer, only to ignore their fall and winter needs. The department could be encouraged to let most of these small habitats alone. Also, public properties could set an example by landscaping with native plants in lieu of ecologically useless annuals and, of course, by leaving the leaves, seeds and stems.
Insects need us to stop killing them. Duh.
A piece of upcoming legislation seeks to restrict the use of neonicotinoids, which I fully support, but what about the other poisons that are contributing to biodiversity loss? Pest control companies, for example, are proliferating in our state. Second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides, used to kill rodents, and pyrethroids, used to kill mosquitoes, are wreaking havoc on our ecosystems. Furthermore, only 3% of the farms in New Hampshire are classified as organic. Fully funding and expanding existing programs that help farmers transition to organic methods could increase this number and reduce pesticide use.
Insects, highly attuned to seasonal changes, need a stable climate.
Climate change, a huge threat to all species, needs to be taken seriously by our legislators. From loosening laws and restrictions on clean energy to subsidizing projects directly, the legislature could hasten our energy transition. This is a win for humanity, of course, but animals would appreciate it, too.
Many insects need darkness; let’s dim down the lights.
Perhaps a public awareness campaign could encourage residents and businesses alike to minimize unnecessary outdoor lighting, and, when possible, switch to motion lighting. Dark skies legislation, versions of which have been adopted in other states, could also be considered. Bug zappers, which do nothing to control mosquitoes while blasting their natural enemies, should be phased out.
Lastly, insects need us to care.
Much harder to legislate, it would seem, is a shift in attitude towards appreciation and coexistence. A few spiders, ants, ground beetles and other arthropods that may visit us in our homes on occasion are not a dangerous threat. In fact, the presence of insects indicates a healthy environment, not the opposite. Perhaps this is a job for our public schools. Our wildlife agencies could also play a role by shifting their priorities and funding away from human recreational activities and towards raising public awareness.
Insects are resilient. That’s the good news.
However, the urgency and extent of the biodiversity crisis are calling on our leadership to act now. Through incentives, laws, and public education, much could be achieved in a very short time.
Caelin Graber of Greenville is a lifelong nature enthusiast. She has a bachelor’s degree in biology and a master’s degree in entomology. She presently works as a nurse educator in Merrimack.