WATCH: How we can learn from the circular lives of insects

A new series of short films focused on the importance of insects to the global ecosystem has been released to mark Insect Week 2023.

Produced by The Clean Planet Group for Insect Week 2023, the five-minute videos aim to celebrate the role of species that have a huge impact on the natural world’s ability to function through actions such as pollination. 

Episode four, Circular is embedded below and hones in on how a circular ecology keeps insects thriving, presenting the case for nature is ‘happiest’ when all living things serve a purpose. In this case, fertilising crops that produce around 70% of the food consumed by humans. 

Tracing the transformation of a larvae into a ladybird back to ants ‘farming’ aphids for honeydew, the film makes a compelling case for both the significance of insects and the urgency at which humans should switch to circular ways of thinking. Other episodes include Extraordinary and Food, with another two dedicated to bees and ants alone. 

You can watch the full series here. 

Last year, Environment Journal reported on how flying insect species had declined in the UK by 60% over the past 20 years, posing a real threat to food security and weed regulation. The United Nations, meanwhile, estimate that up to 200 species are becoming extinct each day across the planet, which is around 1,000 times greater than the natural process. 

As the Clean Planet Group make clear, when one member of an ecosystem disappears, another type of creature will struggle to eat – either because their prey has died out or due to a knock on effect of this happening. As such, the process of extinction itself can be considered a small scale ‘doom loop’, whereby a species vanishing is one tipping point, which in turn triggers the beginning of another type of creature going into terminal decline. 

More videos: 

https://environmentjournal.online/transport/sport-england-active-design-guidance/

https://environmentjournal.online/features-opinion/watch-brazilian-climate-leader-socio-economic-justice-partnerships/

https://environmentjournal.online/headlines/watch-eden-project-seagrass-video-shows-why-plant-is-so-precious/

https://environmentjournal.online/headlines/watch-eden-project-seagrass-video-shows-why-plant-is-so-precious/

Image: Filipe Resmini