Insects In Ecosystem

Kaziranga records 283 insect, spider species in first biodiversity survey

Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, famed for its rhinos, elephants and tigers, has recorded 283 species of native insects and spiders, according to the first survey of its kind released on Saturday. Of the total, 254 species are insects and 29 are spiders, making the study a vital step towards understanding Kaziranga's often-overlooked biodiversity and its implications for combating climate change, officials said. According to the survey, there are 85 species of butterflies and moths, 40 species of ants, bees and wasps, along with 35 species of beetles. The report, titled 'Explorative Study of Insects and Spiders of the Woodland Habitat of Kaziranga National Park & Tiger Reserve', documented an impressive diversity of species in the woodland track of Panbari Reserve Forest under Eastern Assam Wildlife Division, a park official said. The survey was conducted and published by entomologists from Corbett Foundation with the support of the forest staff of Kaziranga National ...

NGT issues notice to Centre on use of invasive fish for mosquito control

The National Green Tribunal has sought a response from the Centre on two highly-invasive and alien fish species being used as biological agents for controlling mosquitoes. The tribunal was hearing a plea about two fish species -- Gambusia Affinis (Mosquitofish) and Poecilia Reticulata (Guppy) -- being released in water bodies to control mosquitoes in various states. The states which stored and released Mosquitofish were Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab and Andhra Pradesh, while Guppy species had been released in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Punjab and Odisha, the plea said. It said the National Biodiversity Authority declared these two fish species as "invasive and alien" as they adversely impacted the local aquatic ecosystems by causing food scarcity for the indigenous fish species. It also referred to the ban imposed on Mosquitofish by countries such as Australia and New Zealand. The plea referred to a rep

Singapore Food Agency approves 16 species of insects for human consumption

Singapore's food watchdog on Monday said it has approved some 16 species of insects like crickets, grasshoppers and locusts for human consumption, adding to the internationally-renowned menu of global foods including Chinese and Indian dishes in the multi-ethnic city-state. The much-awaited announcement comes to the delight of industry players who have been gearing supply and catering in Singapore to insects grown in China, Thailand and Vietnam, The Straits Times newspaper reported. The approved insects include various species of crickets, grasshoppers, locusts, mealworms and silkworms. The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said that those intending to import or farm insects for human consumption or livestock feed must meet SFA's guidelines, including providing documentary proof that the imported insects are farmed in regulated establishments with food safety controls and are not harvested from the wild. Insects that are not on SFA's list of 16 will have to undergo an evaluation to ensur

The increasing profitability of apiculture

Interestingly, while India's honey output has increased since 2005-06 by nearly 240 per cent, exports have bounced by over 260 per cent

India's climate change takes a toll on the dragonflies, says report

The report also states that the dragonflies generally have a short life span of about a few weeks only

Uttarakhand: India's first pollinator park comes up at Haldwani

The park has over 40 species of butterflies, honeybees, birds and insects

States tighten locust control measures as pest gives Delhi a miss for now

Govt asserts desert locusts have not impacted rabi crops and efforts are on to eliminate the insects before monsoon in order to save kharif

The looming threat

India should have been better prepared for the locust invasion

Locusts may not overwhelm, but India can't let guard down: FAO expert

Central and northern states aren't ideal breeding grounds and South India might not see any attack; Rajasthan will be under threat for next few months

UP CM Adityanath asks officials get ready to deal with locust attacks

The local residents and farmers have been enlightened on the subject, while the village level committees and bodies have been mobilised to make a coordinated effort against the threat

Locusts reach Gondia in Maharashtra, Delhi mulls plastic cover for saplings

In Rajasthan, which has been worst hit, officials say 90,000 hectares in 20 districts have been affected; standing crop in 4,000 hectares in Sri Ganganagar, 100 hectares in Nagaur has been destroyed

Locust swarms headed towards Delhi; crops threatened in many states

Higher than normal temperatures have helped locusts spread more rapidly in different parts of the states

Locust attacks have links with climate change

This insect grows exponentially and an average locust swarm, believe it or not, can have 8 million critters, which can devour as much food in one day as 2,500 people or 10 elephants

Lynchpins of ecosystems

Approximately 60% of birds rely on insects for food, 80% of wild plants for pollination