It will reach out to future journalists, lawyers, legislators, teachers, and others, so that they develop an appreciation of the impact insects have on us. Most people have follicle mites in their eyebrows, sleep with dust mites, and routinely eat insects and their body parts in our food. For example, the legal tolerance for aphids in hops, used to make beer, is 2,500 aphids per 10 grams. We will discuss how insects affect Virginia's citizens. Lyme disease, which is transmitted by ticks, occurs in Virginia.
Gypsy moths are a major problem to homeowners and to Virginia's forests.
Red imported fire ants have been found in Roanoke. Many people have allergies to cockroach hairs and other insect parts, and this allergy is more prevalent in African Americans and Hispanic Americans than in European Americans. The problem does not cease when cockroaches are controlled, as cockroach hairs remain in the wall voids. Approximately one half of the classes will deal with insects in a global context. We will review the effects of insects on world history.