The small, buzzing and creepy-crawly creatures many people fear or dismiss as “bugs” are more important than most realize, according to Jessica Beckham, an environmental science and ecology lecturer at UT San Antonio.
“Most bees are solitary bees, and they will only sting you if you literally grab onto them,” Beckham explains. “They’re not going to harm you.”
Beckham specializes in entomology, the scientific study of insects, with a particular emphasis on bumblebees. Through her research, she examines how insects such as honeybees or wasps support ecosystems through pollination and other core activities.
“I think that, crucially, people need to understand that insects in general serve many purposes in our native ecosystems,” Beckham says. “We have insects that are cycling nutrients, that are pollinating, that are also providing food for other organisms in the food web.”
Beckham says pollinators are especially important because they’re considered keystone species — organisms that ecosystems heavily depend on to survive.
“When they get removed from an ecosystem, we see collapse,” Beckham states, “and if they’re declining, that means we’re potentially going to see problems in our overall ecosystems.”
Listen to the newest episode of Launchpad: Voices of Innovation as Beckham discusses how the presence of so-called “unwanted” insects play an important role throughout Texas ecosystems.
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