Did you know that if a fly is isolated from its kin, it eats more and sleeps less — not good for its health. Sound familiar? It seems loneliness can make flies sick just the way it can affect us.
I know this because a Nobel laureate says so. I recently attended the annual Nobel Conference at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter. The subject this year was “Insects – Little Body, Big Impact. ” Scientists from Denmark, Norway, Kenya, England and the United States revealed what they have learned about these tiny organisms — animals that are useful, irritating, harmless and lethal, but always essential for life on Earth. This conference looked at all that but primarily revealed what is known about the INNER life of insects.
Their studies showed that insects can make decisions based on experience, plan ahead, and even play.
For example, we were shown a bee playing with a tiny yarn football. For no apparent reason except to have fun.
And, contrary to what had been thought for centuries, insects feel pain. Even the smallest bugs avoid their favorite food if it is accompanied by a harmless but painful electric shock.
Ethical questions arise from these and other such findings. One scientist asked, not, are we alone in the universe, but are we alone here on Earth? He says not.
“We live among a biological world teeming with relation, purpose, and motivation.”
And, he says, we need to include insects in our concerns about animal welfare.
We know that dogs and cats relate to humans, that porpoises can be taught sign language, that whales compose songs, and that ravens can solve complicated puzzles. And now, consider the insect: A being with a mind of its own. Think about that next time you aim to swat a fly.
Maybe ... just swoosh him or her out the door instead.
— Carole Wendt is a Litchfield resident, who was inducted into the Litchfield High School Hall of Fame in 2019 after a distinguished career in the media.
