For most people, the idea of insects—either in the home or in the backyard and beyond—is gross, if not unsettling. We get it. They’re creepy, crawly, and potentially dangerous to humans and their houses. Most people don’t want to touch insects, and many commonly feel nervous when they see them, especially if they see a whole nest or colony of them!
However, there’s a select group of people who are not afraid of insects, and they actually find them fascinating. They’re called entomologists, they study insects professionally, and from our point of view, being an entomologist is really neat! In fact, Erich, Eco-Care’s president, is only 1 of 13 board-certified urban/structural entomologists in Maryland.
So what’s so cool about being an entomologist? We’ll tell you.
Insects Are Very Complex Creatures
There are actually more than one million different types of insects in the world, and they live in pretty much every single habitat, some of which are inhospitable to humans. They are incredibly varied in type, size, shape, life cycle, diet, and more; it’s like each type is a different civilization waiting to be discovered.
It’s Scientific
Because of our training, we have a unique appreciation for how infestations happens. We enjoy studying insect behaviors and figuring out what they’re attracted to. We methodically want to know why they do what they do, and how they do it. We enjoy conducting research on our subjects and finding ways to manage them in an environmentally responsible manner. In this sense, we put on our lab coats first before we put on our pest management uniforms.
We Love The Earth
As gross or scary as they can be to some, insects are as part of the earth just as much as people are. In fact, people need insects in the environment to survive. We need bees to pollinate our fruits and vegetables. We need spiders to eat garden pests. We need flies and beetles, for example, to help us break down waste. All of this contributes to the health of the planet, and for us, that’s a good thing. We love that our work often helps us help insects do what they do best.
We Help People
This is really our top answer. Even though we like to get our hands dirty (often literally) when studying insects, it’s comes down to helping people. That is, helping them understand why insects have invaded their home; helping them to prevent insects from invading their home again, and helping them feel relieved when we remove an infestation! It’s very rewarding to see the look of satisfaction and alleviation when we show a client the results of our work.
We hope this gives you a better idea of why being an entomologist is actually kind of cool. If you want to know more, feel free to contact us or if you have a question for Erich, fill out our Ask the Entomologist form. We love talking to people about bugs, big and small, helpful or harmful!