Text Box: Although they tend to be overshadowed in our perspective by higher life forms such as mammals and reptile, insects play a huge role in the ecosystem. Their shear numbers make them important vegetation controllers and pollinators as well as an important food source for many other animals. However, when they are accidentally introduced into new lands they can wreak colossal devastation. Most people have heard of the Africanized, or so called "killer" bees, and the fire ants in the United States. Both of these are a result of an accidental introduction. The red and black fire ants were introduced from South America, probably in the soil used as ballast in cargo ships. The arrival of these ants has already severally effected the population of field mice, oviparous snakes, turtles, and other vertebrates in afflicted areas. (http://ipmworld.umn.edu/chapters/lockley.htm) The Africanized bees, however, are a slightly more complicated case. They are not a straight forward introduced species, but rather a hybrid between the European honeybee and the far more aggressive African honeybee that resulted from an experiment in Brazil. A few specimens escaped and have spread throughout Central America and much of the United States. Although they pose new competition for native pollinators, the Africanized honeybee's greatest effect has been on humans. They make beekeeping less enticing and therefore remove populations of permanent pollinators around farms: damaging the agriculture industry, as well as posing a mortal threat due to their swarming, protective and aggressive nature. (http://ag.arizona.edu/urbanipm /insects/bees/honeybees.html) They are estimated to have already killed around 1,000 people, mostly due to allergic reactions to their poison. (http://www.infoplease.com/spot/insects1.html)

Text Box: Edited by Keshal Patel on December 1st  

Text Box: Home Page Text Box: Articles Text Box: Calendar Text Box: Contact Information