In wars, these creatures caused more deaths than bombs or bullets, according to the author; for example, the louse, carrier of typhus, defeated Napoleon's troops. Fleas (plague) and mosquitos (malaria) have taken a heavy toll on human populations. A gall nearly wiped out the French wine industry in 1860; scale insects have been the source of varnish and dye. And Berenbaum also reminds us that about a third of our food is the direct result of insect pollination. A captivating book of popular science.
book: 18 Jun 1996
Bugs in the System
Insects and their Impact on Human Affairs
Berenbaum, a professor of entomology at the University of Illinois, presents in this book extraordinary information on how insects affect our lives and society.
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