Most of us do not like to contact with all kinds of insects and parasites, and some are horrified by the sight of insects. But there are those for whom to deal with bugs, ticks, scorpions and other similar animals - part of their professional duties. Such people are called entomologists. Let's see: an entomologist - who he is, what he does and what is interesting in his work.
Profession only for the brave
Although the work of an entomologist is not associated with a direct risk to life, does not require special physical preparation and innate talents, but still not everyone agrees to do this. The fact is that the main object of research of entomologists in many causes fear, disgust, etc. What an entomologist profession does requires a person to have special personal qualities: observation, activity, and true enthusiasm for his work.
To become a true professional in his field, an entomologist needs:
- Be observant and patient;
- have good visual memory ;
- pay attention to small minor differences;
- to be ready to work in uncomfortable conditions;
- have versatile knowledge in other areas of zoology.
History of Entomology
Nowadays, such a profession as an entomologist is well known. Who this is and what he does, even schoolchildren can say. But there were times when there was no concept of entomology at all.
Information about the first scientific research in this area dates back to the 16th century, but until the 18th century they were superficial. Then, entomological scientists were engaged only in descriptive work. Scientific works of those times consist mainly of assessments of the appearance and parameters of the skeleton of insects. The papyri of ancient Egypt contains the characteristics of a locust that devastated fields. In Chinese manuscripts there are instructions on breeding silkworms and recommendations on pest control of fruit trees. This can be called the first essays in the science of entomology.
Later, the main task over which the scientist entomologist worked was the study of living tissues and organs of insects. Such studies were possible due to the parallel development of the science of histology and the use of microscopes and other instruments that help in experiments.
Many of the famous biologists were entomologists. For example, Charles Darwin, Carl Frisch, Edward Wilson. The fact that the famous Russian fiction writer Vladimir Nabokov was also fond of this science is also known. He was called the most famous writer among entomologists. Most of all, Nabokov was interested in butterflies. He repeatedly mentioned them in his works.
What does an entomologist do nowadays
I wonder what are the responsibilities of people in this profession? When we are asked the question: “Entomologist - who is this?”, The image of a “artisanal” researcher armed with a magnifying glass, a net, a pin and a glass jar pops up in our memory. Indeed, work in the bosom of nature is one of the duties of the profession. It involves the study of various species, their classification and systematization.
The main responsibilities of entomologists:
- The collection of material, which are most often living insects.
- Observation of their livelihoods in their natural habitat.
- The discovery of new, unexplored species of insects.
- Collecting.
Many modern entomologists spend most of their time doing laboratory research on insects.
Applied Entomology. Its benefits to society
So it became clear what the entomologist does. But you also need to understand that entomology provides not only theoretical knowledge. Breeding insects in the laboratory is most often done for agricultural purposes, where arthropods act as food for birds or as a tool in the fight against certain types of weeds.
The work of an entomologist is very important for each of us. The harm caused by insects to our home and health can be minimized precisely thanks to the work of specialists in this profession. Of course, we are accustomed to independently fight insects in our homes, if the problem has not acquired a global scale, but in the West they act differently. Specialized companies that help professionally deal with harmful arthropods are very common there. When buying new housing, it is considered mandatory to contact entomologists so that they analyze the object for pest populations, develop a plan to deal with them, and recommend the necessary drugs.
In conclusion…
So we found out what kind of profession an entomologist is, who it is and what it does. From the foregoing, we can conclude that an entomologist is a rather specific type of activity that is not suitable for everyone. If you feel even the slightest fear or disgust for a variety of insects, you are unlikely to achieve success in this work.