Points for/against importance of species’ preservation.
• Their edibility; good for the environment, improve animal welfare, reduces the risk of disease in humans
• Reduces the need to provide animal feed
• Insects produce more protein at a lower cost both to the environment and to our pocket
• To feed cattle we need grain, fertiliser, land, and water
• Insects can be fed with our own waste products
• Importance of species’ preservation can help to reduce greenhouse gases
• Insects do not require an abundance of water
• Improvement in animal welfare – killing insects humanely is easy
• We do not have so much in common with insects as other species – therefore reduced risk of disease – swine flu, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease etc.
• Danger of ingesting pesticides
• Dealing with the disgust factor
• Pollination
• Dealing with the mosquito
• Good for food security
• Antibacterial properties of honey
• The venom of a tarantula is more environmentally effective than conventional insecticides
• Centipede venom as an alternative to morphine