ENT1907: Insect Warriors

Who are the most dangerous warriors on the planet? Who are the strongest and fastest athletes in the world? Who fought in a battle that involved billions of participants and left millions dead each month? And who is responsible for the most damaging biological warfare attack in history? The answer is around us every day, and beneath our very feet - INSECTS! Insects and their relatives have been on planet earth for millions of years, and have evolved an amazing range of weapons and strategies for combating their enemies, defending territories, fighting for mates, and guarding their offspring. Using incredible endurance, strength, and cooperation, insects provide an ideal template for warriors. From stag beetles dueling for mates to supercolonies of Argentine ants warring across California, insects truly are impressive combatants and athletes.But more than just fighting each other, insects have also been made into weapons. Throughout history, insects have been used in human warfare to frighten, incapacitate, and sometimes outright destroy armies or populations. During the crusades, beehives thrown over the walls of a city helped lead to a crucial victory, and in the midst of World War II, the Empire of Japan covertly bred millions of insects to spread epidemics amongst their enemies. And in a secret project code named “Operation Big Itch”, the United States prepared to do the same during the Cold War. In this course you will learn how and why insects have evolved to be such formidable warriors, and the ways in which they have been used and will continue to be used as weapons of war. From robotic bee spies to termites with a glue gun for a head, insects truly are the most formidable warriors in the world, whether they fight each other, or fight us.

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