Introduction

Everything that appears different generally arouses mistrust; and when mistaken beliefs, superstitions and commonplaces are added, the step to fear is a short one. Insects are an excellent example of this kind of human behaviour. Some are parasites and can even transmit dangerous diseases; others are repellent because of the environments they frequent and their way of life. They are, however, a tiny minority, which in no way justifies the reaction of disgust or fear that many people experience on merely hearing the word “Insect”. Those judged repellent are Nature's “scavengers” or “undertakers”, and they perform a valuable service for man himself as well. We too often forget that the Bee is an insect that gives us honey and wax, that the “Silkworm” is another insect, that many insects are pollinators and help plants to bear fruit, etc. Only better knowledge can allow these mistaken beliefs to be overcome, and fortunately these animals are so prolific and numerous that they can be collected without harm to the conservation of the species. Pointless slaughter must of course be avoided, and sampling must be limited to the purpose one has set oneself.

If the aesthetic side prevails, one pair per species is sufficient; if it is study, the quantity will be in proportion to the needs of the research. The important thing is to remember that they are first and foremost living beings, even if generally short-lived, and must therefore be respected, because each species plays its own part in the balance of nature. Starting from these premises, we can now go on to admire how much beauty and how much imagination “Mother Nature” has been able to put into these children of hers. An old book on entomology began with this sentence: “Looking at these beings so small, you will see things so great that they will make you forget the things so small made by beings much greater.”

— Italo Bucciarelli, entomologist