Make-Up Mini Mock Questions 1 & 2 (November 2024 22)

Source A

Insects play several important roles in ecology. They are an essential part of nearly every food chain. Many animals, including birds, bats, amphibians and fish, eat insects and are then themselves eaten by predators. Most plants, including food crops and flowers, rely on being pollinated by insects. Waste-eating insects process materials such as dung, dead plants, and the bodies of dead animals; this releases nutrients for use by the ecosystem.

Source B

27 professors of ecology and entomology (the study of insects) in UK universities have signed an open letter drawing public attention to a dramatic decline in the populations of insects. Comparative studies have suggested that the total insect population is declining by between 1% and 2.5% each year. ‘If insect species losses cannot be halted, this will have catastrophic consequences both for the planet’s ecosystems and for the survival of mankind,’ according to a researcher from the University of Sydney, Australia. ‘The 2.5% rate of annual loss over the last 25–30 years is shocking. In 10 years you will have a quarter less, in 50 years only half left and in 100 years you will have none.’ One of the biggest impacts of insect loss is on the many birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish that eat insects.

Source C

The main causes of decline in insect populations are: loss of habitats, pollution, introduction of disease-carrying microorganisms, importation of non-native predatory insects and climate change. We can all take a few simple steps to help to preserve insect populations by tackling these problems:

• Reduce your carbon footprint
• Leave part of your garden to grow wild
• Reduce use of pesticide sprays
• Buy locally grown plants
• Use alternative growing materials instead of peat

Source D

According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization, insects form part of the diet of at least two billion people. The house cricket (Acheta domesticus) is a popular snack in South-East Asia. More than 20 000 farmers in Thailand currently grow crickets for use as food, and production could easily be increased further.

Insects are an environmentally sustainable food source, with a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to meat production. They can be processed and used as a meat substitute (similar to soya or tofu). Research entomologist Dr Duncan Sivell, of London’s prestigious Natural History Museum, has said that insects will become a significant part of people’s diet in Europe and the US. He explained, ‘Economically and ecologically, it’s much more efficient to rear insects than livestock. And with the future issues we’re going to have, and the energy and land required to maintain our current food consumption, eating insects is going to happen’.

Source E

High in protein, fibre and vitamin B12, our cricket protein powder is also a source of iron and calcium. It is low fat and gluten free and contains no preservatives, artificial colours or flavours. You can blend it into a smoothie, sprinkle it on soup, or mix it with wheat flour when baking. Our crickets are raised in clean and hygienic conditions and fed on a specially designed plant-based diet. They are thoroughly cleaned before being hygienically processed into powder.