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Breakfast with a side of Science – What’s Bugging You? Animals We Love to Hate

Posted by Coturnix on September 10, 2009
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At the NC Museum of Natural Sciences:

What’s Bugging You? Animals We Love to Hate

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

8:00 – 10:00 am with discussion beginning at 9:00 followed by Q&A

Location: The Acro Cafe – 4th Floor of the Museum of Natural Sciences

Fire ants. Mosquitoes. Flies. Ticks. Gnats. Bed Bugs. The list goes on and on.
They disturb our sleep, sting us, envenomate us, suck our blood, eat our food, crawl on us…yet at the same time, they pollinate our food and flowers, provide insect control, and increase biodiversity. So, what is a pest? Are some of these pests invasive species? What can or should be done about them?

About the Speaker:

Join Dr.Colin Brammer, Entomologist and Curator of the Museum’s Naturalist Center for a discussion on all things pest related in our next Breakfast with a Side of Science

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Comments

  1. #1 Russell
    September 10, 2009

    I know there are some beneficial mosquitos. But damn, would it upset the rest of the ecology that much if we managed to eliminate some of the blood-sucking species?

  2. #2 Gordon Stangler
    September 10, 2009

    @Author,

    I wish that gnats would go away. They irritate the heck out of me. My girlfriend wishes spiders would drop off the face of the planet.

    @Russell,

    Many species of birds, and larger insects feed upon mosquitoes, so yes, eliminating a massive portion of them would upset the ecosystem. Not that I don’t wish they would go away, though.

  3. #3 Interrobang
    September 11, 2009

    A pest is anything that is where humans don’t want it. See for example canola growing in ditches, mosquitoes anywhere near pretty much anybody, and spiders that have the bad sense to wander into my house. (I’m perfectly fine with spiders, as long as they stay outside where they belong. Once they decide to move into my turf, they’re toast.)