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[Ulfarr]

Would spiders work as an alternative to pesticides?
Like, introduce some species or other to a field and let them build their webs all around your crops, ready to catch all the insects attracted by them.

Spoiler: what could possibly go wrong (click to show/hide)

That happened about a year ago, when a massive increase in other insect populations resulted in an equally massive increase in the spider population.

[TD1]

I see no problem

[Yoink]

Bullshit, those are stills from the film adaptation of a John Wyndham novel. You ain't fooling me!

[Naturegirl1999]

Ladybirds, you mean the species that literally turn into all-consuming swarms if the food competition is too high that make locust problems pale in comparison and literally start eating everything that moves, even if it's much bigger than they are, to the point that they start attacking humans (and other big animals) if they have to?

I see no way this can go wrong

When has this happened?

[Ulfarr]

I see no problem

It's a bit dificult to see anything when you are covered in webs 

[wierd]

Ladybirds, you mean the species that literally turn into all-consuming swarms if the food competition is too high that make locust problems pale in comparison and literally start eating everything that moves, even if it's much bigger than they are, to the point that they start attacking humans (and other big animals) if they have to?

I see no way this can go wrong

When has this happened?

I think there is mistaken identity...  Ladybird beetles are also known as ladybugs in the US. The most harm they do by swarming is getting into people's houses when it turns cold, looking for a place to overwinter.

Edit

I have been digging hard to see if there are any instances of the beetles being harmful; Found one.
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/pets/news/a41272/asian-lady-beetle-dog-mouth/

[Naturegirl1999]

Ladybirds, you mean the species that literally turn into all-consuming swarms if the food competition is too high that make locust problems pale in comparison and literally start eating everything that moves, even if it's much bigger than they are, to the point that they start attacking humans (and other big animals) if they have to?

I see no way this can go wrong

When has this happened?

I think there is mistaken identity...  Ladybird beetles are also known as ladybugs in the US. The most harm they do by swarming is getting into people's houses when it turns cold, looking for a place to overwinter.

Yes, ladybirds don’t attack people, hence why I was confused.

[Yoink]

Even the ladybugs are metal af in Scriver's part of the world.   

[Iduno]

Would spiders work as an alternative to pesticides?
Like, introduce some species or other to a field and let them build their webs all around your crops, ready to catch all the insects attracted by them.

Cane toads.

[TamerVirus]

Would spiders work as an alternative to pesticides?
Like, introduce some species or other to a field and let them build their webs all around your crops, ready to catch all the insects attracted by them.

Cane toads.

The government of New South Wales called.
They say that's a terrible idea.

[TD1]

Bah, what do they know? We'll just introduce wild whipping canes to keep their numbers down. And schoolteachers to keep the cane numbers down. And headmasters to keep their numbers down. And a board of governors.... and a teaching department... a local government.... national government... treaties with other nations...

Boy, I think I figured out how democracy developed.

[scriver]

Ladybirds, you mean the species that literally turn into all-consuming swarms if the food competition is too high that make locust problems pale in comparison and literally start eating everything that moves, even if it's much bigger than they are, to the point that they start attacking humans (and other big animals) if they have to?

I see no way this can go wrong

When has this happened?

I think there is mistaken identity...  Ladybird beetles are also known as ladybugs in the US. The most harm they do by swarming is getting into people's houses when it turns cold, looking for a place to overwinter.

Edit

I have been digging hard to see if there are any instances of the beetles being harmful; Found one.
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/life/pets/news/a41272/asian-lady-beetle-dog-mouth/

I read it above as ladybug, so if ladybirds are still ladybugs, then it's all the same.

And yes, ladybugs will fucking eat you. What I mean by food competition is that when they get too many for the amount of food they have, they will turn to eating anything. I mean, they won't eat a person, obviously. You're too big, they can't even pierce our skin. But that won't stop them from trying! They will bite you. And you will screech like a little girl and people will laugh at you because you screeched at a ladybug.

Even the ladybugs are metal af in Scriver's part of the world.   

Seriously, they are basically nature's perfect predator. Thought that would be wolves, or jaguar, or crocodiles or sharks? Nope, it's fucking ladybugs. They're a natural tank shaped death bulldozer who goes wherever they want, eats whatever it wants, and if there's not enough around to eat then the little bullpanzer will just take of and fly to the next massacre-to-be. If anything would get close enough to threaten it it will release a slurry of fungus through it's shell (because of course the tank also comes equipped with biological weapons) so that if against the probability they're killed they will still make sure that you die too, and that if you're a hive animal then you'll carry the fungus back to your friends and infect them too. Just as one last big fuck you from beyond the grave.

[Iduno]

Would spiders work as an alternative to pesticides?
Like, introduce some species or other to a field and let them build their webs all around your crops, ready to catch all the insects attracted by them.

Cane toads.

The government of New South Wales called.
They say that's a terrible idea.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSRildGCw64

[Grim Portent]

I've found myself wondering, not for the first time, if there's been any modern reported cases of polyphagia/hyperphagia that come close to the severity reported in Tarrarre and Domery. I have a hard time believing they were actually capable of what the medical reports from the time (late 1700s, early 1800s) claim they could do, though I suppose if they had spent a lifetime suffering from their conditions they would have physically acclimatised to eating large quantities of material much the same as modern competitive eaters do. Still, I'm inclined to think they were exaggerated reports rather than accurate, but I can't help but wonder if anything similar has ever cropped up in recent history.

[Naturegirl1999]

I'm curious why the brain can think of itself as seperate. Like, why can we think of our brain doing thins other than us? or why is it possible to think of thoughts that you don't think about thinking about?