Most people do not think about bugs in the same way as they do other animals. People tend to get outraged at the idea of animal testing on a bunny, but do not think about the fact that the cockroach they killed in their kitchen has a place in the ecosystem too. People are always quicker to set a bug trap or use pesticide than they would be to discipline a barking puppy.

This is partly due to learned behaviours and psychology. For instance, some bugs are poisonous and some people treat all bugs to this standard. Just as some insects can pose a health risk, so just to be safe, people will use repellent or pesticide. Finally bugs are easier to kill than other animals, and perhaps there is an evolutionary reason that people find it easier or satisfying to swat a fly.

Psychologically speaking, the prouder or more graceful an animal, the more likely people are to get incensed at its killing, for example Cecil the Lion had a global emotional response. This was partly due to the view that a lion is a noble and proud King of the Jungle, and Cecil was murdered for sport.

Although insects and amphibians are far more endangered than many other animals.

It may be impossible to change the mind of everyone and convince the world to stop squashing bugs that invade your home, or squishing ants that crash your picnic. So what simple things can we do for these smaller creatures? For starters we should look at the pesticides and repellents that we use to defend ourselves from them: are they toxic or natural? Harmful to gardens and the soil or biodegradable?

Over the past several decades, people have talked about the negative effects of insect repellent ingredients on a persons’ health – due to the toxicity of DEET and DDT. Both DEET and DDT have been deemed safe to use on the skin as long as they are not ingested. Since 80% of what is applied to the skin is absorbed, this has made some people wary or using repellents containing these ingredients.

From an environmental standpoint, both DEET and DDT are not biodegradable and their classifications as low toxicity to humans are a high toxicity for freshwater fish, especially trout and tilapia. Whether repellents wash off of us in the shower, come off while swimming, or are sprayed on land, they have a tendency to find their way in to the water system, which can cause the death of fish and algae as well it can make amphibians and animals sick. Even if an insect repellent does not kill a bug, that bug can bring the toxins back in to its home and kill or infect others.

There are a lot of natural insect repellents out there and many of them are biodegradable. There are some arguments that they are not as effective as the DEET or DDT based over-the-counter varieties, and it is true some brands are not as effective. Natural based repellents tend to focus more on the idea of keeping bugs away, rather than killing them. This may make their longevity shorter, meaning that they may have to be reapplied more often, not that they are less powerful. A trial and error method may have to be employed to find he brand that works best for you and your family. In the end it may all be down to the manner in which it is applied.