Advertisement

A Brief History of Weaponised Insects

If you’ve seen classic B Movies like 1954’s 'Them' or the criminally underappreciated classic, 'Starship Troopers', the words “Insect Warfare” probably conjure up some specific, likely silly imagery. But insects have featured in human conflicts in very...

Share this article

10.00 3 Jul 2022


A Brief History of Weaponised Insects



Share this article

10.00 3 Jul 2022


If you’ve seen classic B Movies like 1954’s 'Them' or the criminally underappreciated classic, 'Starship Troopers', the words “Insect Warfare” probably conjure up some specific, likely silly imagery.

But insects have featured in human conflicts in very real and often terrifying ways since the beginning of the historical record and likely, long before it.

Jeffrey Lockwood is Professor of Natural Sciences and Humanities at the University of Wyoming and the author of 'Six-Legged Soldiers: Using Insects as Weapons of War'.

He joins Jonathan to discuss,

Catherine McGuinness, Zoologist and Educational Assistant at the National Museum of Ireland & Dr. Lara Dungan also joined Jonathan for Newsround.


Read more about

Futureproof With Jonathan McCrea

Related Episodes

Waterford Whispers author on t...

00:11:49

Waterford Whispers author on the biggest news of 2026

The Hard Shoulder

00:11:49


Nvidia CEO resigns after repor...

00:05:58

Nvidia CEO resigns after reports of second affair

The Hard Shoulder

00:05:58


Do we need more illumination f...

00:10:24

Do we need more illumination for our public outdoor spaces at night?

The Hard Shoulder

00:10:24


Deliveroo reveals top orders o...

00:07:07

Deliveroo reveals top orders of 2026 - what do they tell us?

Moncrieff

00:07:07