of bugs and balance
We're kind of plagued by mosquitoes over here, thanks to the very wet spring. On account of their buzzing and biting we hear people talking about spraying and whatnot; all kinds of schemes for mosquito genocide (insecticide!). Now, I hate mosquitoes as much as the next person, but I can't help but think that spraying chemicals all over the place can't be good in the long run. Even if we assume that mosquitoes can be safely dispensed with as a species, doesn't the poison have kind of a deleterious effect on all sorts of other, less annoying and more necessary, bugs? Even worse, mosquitoes do serve a function: they provide food for other beasties like my favorite insect the dragonfly.
It's all part and parcel of what we see on the weather report. Even in the middle of a drought they announce a forecast of rain like its the end of the world, but happily reassure us that "the nice weather will be back tomorrow!" Clear skies are not nice when it hasn't rained in too long, and a bug-free world isn't nice when plants need pollinating and frogs need food. I, for one, do not look forward to a future when every single aspect of our lives is controlled by humans and designed for maximum immediate pleasure. Too boring!