Insects are amongst the most numerous of all animals and are found in all corners of the world—from the oceans to the mountains; from the Arctic Circle to the tropics, yet they are often overlooked. We assume they are all creepy-crawly creatures that bite or spread disease but there are some amazingly beautiful and fascinating insects living on earth. Silently creeping under our feet, buzzing above our heads and sometimes sitting right by our side. Insects are never far away from us, leading a quiet, often secretive life.
Now to share this wonderful aspect of our natural world, one of our most favourite writers, turns his witty and keenly observant eye on their habits and habitats. Bond takes us into the world of insects and introduces us to these creatures.
‘Did you know that there are two easy ways to recognize an insect? It has six legs. The body is divided into three parts: a head, a centre part, and an abdomen.’ Ruskin Bond, who has written several wonderful books on nature, explores the world of insects in an effortless, easy way and we learn that ‘A flea can jump over 100 times its own height. A mosquito in flight has a wing-beat of 300 beats per second. A dragonfly can attain a speed of nearly 60 miles an hour. The painted lady butterfly makes a migratory trip from North Africa to as far as Iceland.’
We also learn that though we might find insects irritating and harmful, they form a very important part of the natural world. ‘Imagine if, one day, all the insects in the world suddenly disappeared. Many vegetable and flowering plants would die, for these plants cannot bear fruit or seeds unless an insect transfers their pollen. Fishes and birds that feed on insects would vanish, and many of the animals that depend on these fishes and birds for food would starve too. That would mean that not long after, many other living beings would vanish too, and possibly even humans. Once a link in nature’s chain of life is broken or removed, the entire chain is in danger of falling apart. So, it’s true, there is a place and reason for even the tiniest creature to live and thrive on earth.’
The author explains how insects thrive on earth and manage to flourish despite being such tiny creatures. Some of them use clever camouflage tricks while others use mimicry to survive. Insects might be tiny but they really have thought up many smart ways to escape danger and stay safe in their often harsh surroundings.
‘Stick insects can closely resemble a tree branch or stem and so escape notice. Leaf insects are coloured like leaves and may be green or a dry brown to mimic dry leaves. Many moths sit with expanded wings, and their colour scheme blends so well with the bark on which they sit, that no one notices.’
Beetles and Other Friends by our beloved writer Ruskin Bond is a readable and fun book that will enable us to stop and look at the insects that we share our space with and maybe learn to appreciate them more, even when they sting or bite us. Remember, how important they are to the chain of life on Planet Earth.