The title “Humans versus insects” expresses the eternal conflict between humans and nature. This title was written over forty years ago, and it testifies to the anthropocentric philosophy, meaning the belief that humans are the central, most important part of the universe.  Today, we are happy that the dominant philosophy is biocentric, meaning that biology is central, and believing that humans do not have a special status within the world’s natural biological system.

When the exhibit at Beit Hankin was curated in the seventies, a war was waged against insects, ignoring their benefits. In those days, chemical pesticides were widely used, without taking into account the damage that they cause. The widespread use of strong pesticides caused mass extinction of species, because the poisons were not broken down and continued to pass from animal to animal in the food chain.

Insects are the most diverse group of animals on the planet in terms of the number of different species. They are a very important part of the ecosystem of food in nature and agriculture, and it is important to protect them. Many studies have proven that various species of insects have become extinct over the past few decades, and the phenomenon is very worrisome.

On the left, you can see predators that received secondary poisoning and died as a result of eating poisoned rodents. The disappearance of birds of prey due to the poisoning of rodents eventually led to an increase in the number of rodents.

Today, biological pest control is used in Israel. This means using ecological means and biological methods such as fungi or animals that are beneficial. A successful example is the placement of nesting boxes for owls and falcons, which eat rodents, in fields to maintain the balance between predators and prey.

The honeybee was domiciled by humans thousands of years ago in order to manufacture honey, but today, it is clear that the pollination done by honeybees is even more important than their honey. Most fruits in the agriculture industry today depend on pollination by honeybees and other insects.

As part of the biodiversity crisis in nature, there is a phenomenon around the world of the disappearance of honeybees from their hives. Pesticides used in agriculture are one of the causes. The bees feed themselves and their young larvae parts of the flower - pollen and nectar, which are loaded with pesticides.

Albert Einstein said the following quote: “If the bee disappeared off the face of the Earth, man would only have four years left to live.” Einstein was expressing the immense dependence of agriculture today on honeybees.

In the lower display, you can see a few types of combs of wasps and bees. The combs are made of different materials, but they all have hexagonal compartments.