A book I
have been reading was discussing the beginnings of agriculture in early
civilizations. It talked about plants, of course, in the beginnings of farming.
And it talked about the first animals that were domesticated as well. So—there
were domesticated plants, domesticated animals, AND the author also said,
“Domesticated Insects.”
That
phrase threw me, at first. Exactly what are domesticated insects? Insects that
are useful to humans? beneficial insects, such as pollinators in gardens? There
are many plants and animals that are useful to humans but are not considered
“domesticated.”
What are domesticated insects?
The
first and best example provided in the book is the silkworm. The silk moth was
discovered first in China. It has been domesticated for more than 2,000 years.
For the silkmoth, this means it can no longer survive on its own in the wild.
It is cared for by humans, who also control its reproduction. The silk moth is
no longer able to reproduce on its own.
The second
example in the book is the honeybee. Although it is possible for there to be
honeybees that survive in the wild, most stay near human-controlled
environments—farm and field. Humans build their homes, provide suitable floral
foods, then reap the benefits of the hive—honey and beeswax.
I
thought to myself, in all of 2,000 years, why only 2 species of insects are
domesticated? There must be more? This is the list I came up with.
Domesticated Insects:
Silkworm—Fully domesticated, can no longer live in the wild
on its own.
Honey bee—We build them hives, they give us honey, beeswax.
Semi-Domesticated: Bred by people for products associated with them.
India Lac insects—Shellac
Cochineal beetles—Red dyes, placed into plant heads,
harvested.
Commercially Useful Insects
Leeches—Grown in captivity or collected for limited medical use
Flesh-eating Beetles—Grown in the lab for forensic work, stripping flesh from bones
Maggots—Grown in the lab for medical use
Nightcrawlers, fishing worms, earthworms in soil
Ladybugs for gardens, eat aphids and other insects
Nematodes—one beneficial kind for improving soil, but others damage plants
Flatworms or cockroaches for H.S. science dissection
Spider silk? Is this even viable?
Pet Insects
Tarantula
Crickets
Up for consideration:
Ants?; Butterflies for aesthetics and collection; Tequila worm?
The list
shows that there are really just a handful of insects whose products humans
harvest and use. A few kinds of insects are eaten on a small scale by some
cultures. Chocolate-covered ants aside, most are not eaten by humans. Insects
do not train well, or at all, despite the imagination of a “flea” circus. And
most are difficult or impossible for humans to control their reproduction.
Hence, most insects are not domesticable.
There
are millions of insect species in the world—a true diversity of forms. Yet
still only the two are domesticated. Silk and honey, are wonderful, and I am
thankful to those insects for lovely fabrics and delicious, nutritious, food,
including the use of Honey as Medicine.
Insects, of course, are an extremely important part of our biosphere. They have
essential roles in all of nature. And, for humans, insects are fun to watch and
really quite fascinating. Perhaps we should try to value them more for their
entertainment value.
