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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...

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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.


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