Human-Insect Interactions

Sergey Govorushko is a chief research scholar at the Pacific Geographical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences. He is also Professor at the Far Eastern Federal University (Vladivostok). Sergey Govorushko received his PhD from the Institute of Geography (Moscow), Russian Academy of Sciences. His research activities focus on the interaction between humanity and the environment, including the impact of nature on humanity; the impact of humanity on the environment; and assessment of the interaction (environmental impact assessment, environmental audit, etc.). He has authored 11 and co-authored 16 monographs.

• Positive aspects. Ecosystem services. The use of insects in science. Use of insects in medicine and cosmetic industry. Use of insects in technology (insect bionics). Commercial use of insects. Food use of insects. Use of insects in agriculture and forestry. Insects as a form of entertainment. Other Uses of Insects. Business related to insects. Insects in culture. Insect conservation. Negative aspects. Insects as pests. Insects as a vector of plant diseases. Insects as a vector of diseases in animals and humans. Bloodsucking insects and ticks. Venomous insects and arachnids. Invasions of insects. Insect allergy. Conclusion. Appendixes.

In Human-Insect Interaction, Sergey Govorushko begins with an important reminder: “Insects are the most numerous class of living organisms on Earth. You cannot find a human who is not in contact with them.” Govorushko describes human-insect interaction encyclopedically, using tables, photographs, and maps, along with extensive in-text citations. [She] generates appreciation for insects and a deeper understanding of their role in the web of life, enumerating the anthropogenic threats faced by insects through pollution, climate change, habitat loss, pesticide use, monocrop agriculture, and the introduction of non-native species. She also highlights how the loss of insect populations will have unknown consequences for human welfare and well-being.-- Leslie Irvine, University of Colorado Boulder, in Symbolic Interaction (2019), ISSN: 0195-6086 print/1533-8665 online.