Mace Vaughan of the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation in Portland, Oregon, together with John Losey of Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, looked at four processes insects are involved in: disposal of dung; control of crop pests; pollination; and nutrition for wildlife such as birds. They estimated that insects contribute some US$57 billion to the US economy.
Though dollars and cents are not everything in conservation, as many of us will attest, these figures will be a very convincing bargaining chip to people who respond to numbers like these.
For the full article please read: "What's the point of insects?" by Michale Hopkin (reporting on Losey J. E.& Vaughan M. BioScience, 56. 311 - 323 (2006). Nature News, 31 Mar 2006.
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