Although insects are so very interesting, we have to protect ourselves against many species in order to live.
Yes, John, it is oftentimes merely a question which shall profit by the crops we plant, the insects or ourselves.
Sometimes the insects win, sometimes we win, but it is a closely contested warfare all the time.
We plough the land and take care of it, we plant the seeds and keep out the weeds. Then, when we have a fine crop growing, along come certain destructive insects, feeling very happy, no doubt, to have found such a feast.
Now the fight begins. They attack the crop, we attack them. We spray them with poisons, burn up their eggs, do everything we know how to get rid of them.
Wise men have spent many years of close study finding out the habits of the insects destructive to grains and fruits, in order to be able to destroy them.
Although many of the plant hoppers are such nuisances to us, there is one family of hoppers that is seldom a nuisance.
The Comical Tree Hoppers
Do you know the tree hoppers,—absurd little jokers that they are?