Who Will Give a Bug a Hug? (and plant native plants)

Thrips, yeek. Aphids, yuck. Bees, get hugs, wasps, too, even, well, a mental hug. Spiders are groovy. And OK, ladybugs eat aphids, and I love ladybugs, so I guess some aphids are OK. Some beneficial probably eats thrips, too.

And there are so many beneficial insect species on this planet, some we haven't even identified yet. And they are leaving! As I've said before, humans are insuring that this is the Age of Loneliness....

Humans Alone in a Dreary World?

Just because we CAN spray more pesticides doesn't mean we SHOULD. Just because we CAN build another minimall or parking lot doesn't mean we SHOULD.  When we do these things, we lose insects, the very base of the food web, and our crucial pollinators. The BBC has an alarming story which SHOULD keep us all awake at night:

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-41670472

And of course, the birds and amphibians are leaving, too. Ditto non-human mammals. What kind of planet are we making?? Do you want your kids to live in such a world? I sure don't. Can we convince the Captains of Industry, the One Percenters, that they don't want to live on a barren planet, either, assuming anyone can live on a barren rock...?

On a personal, homey level, this is the time to plant insect-friendly gardens. Bring back our butterflies and moths, our bees and wasps, our beetles and mayflies. My garden got trashed (again) by a hurricane this year, but as soon as hurricane season is over, I'm off to my Native Plant Nursery and I will rebuild. Even if it lasts only a matter of months before it's smashed by the next hurricane, it will give a welcome home to some lonely bugs. How about you?

Will you give a bug a hug??

Fairchild Tropical Gardens, Miami, Florida: home to many insects.

The Rare and Exquisite Cannonball Tree, which loves bugs.