My winter course in entomology has come to an end and I have learned many things about the seen and unseen world of insects. The books discussed in class only scratched the surface when they discussed the spectacular behaviors and anatomy of insects. Myths regarding infamous insects were crushed and clarified with facts and truth. (Let it be known that the damnable cockroach will be obliterated from the earth if nuclear war were to occur.) Through the class, I was able to discover that insects have played major yet indirect roles in the development of humanity and its culture. It has been theorized that, without parasitic wasps, kingdom Mammallia would have gone down a different path.
I held a Madagascar hissing cockroach. I have a minute collection of moths that I taxonomically prepared. I came to know more about Alabama's collection of overwintering insects by exploring her forests. Modern views and utilizations of insects were discussed. Medicines, architecture, green houses, robots and more have been inspired by unique properties of insects. I learned that even more is unknown about insects. The possibilities seem unlimited as more insects are identified and described. Humans will continue to live smarter and closer to the environment with continued study of insects and other arthropods.
