The Debate Club discussion

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depends on the insects (like their damage). and also the method you're using to kill them. if you're using certain pesticides, that might as well just backfire and poison a water source or something.

I mean it depends on the consequences of killing that insect. If using insecticides would damage the ecosystem or kill other organisms (which they usually do), then i don't think its ethical.

Personally, I find it difficult to kill something that is not actively harming me (such as a mosquito biting me). Otherwise, creatures of all kinds have a right to live.

Regarding harming crops, killing the one insect in my home is not going to make a difference.

i'll try to avoid the bug, like spiders, moths, dragonflies, or i'll try to lead it outside, mess around with lights to get it's attention just stuff like that, but if it's a wasp or hornet of sometime i need them dead or gone, i genuinely would not step outside the house whenever i had a nest, the garage is the furthest i can go. i will not have those devilish terrors near me or my food. also i kill all mosquitos absolutely gross.

also as someone who grew up having like half of their food grown in their backyard (wisconsincore) yes it is okay as long as you are not harming the environment, for example many essential oils and dirts can ward off bugs. i've never had a bug problem in my plants to be honest (many bugs can actually be helpful as long as they're not eating everything), beyond japanese beetles (invasive little shits), and i used pheromone traps for them.
also had deer and rabbits come by when i lived in wisconsin, we used to use fox fertilizer to scare them off sometimes, after it turned out they could jump five foot tall fences, but also sometimes we left out food for the deer 😭

i recommend carnivorous plants and pheromone traps for people who don't want to risk infecting something, i don't think i've ever had a problem, except sometimes you end up attracting a lot more than you expected, as long as you keep it as far away as possible without making them in two totally different locations they're awesome.

like i said earlier, some bugs are great so please dont kill all of them, worms and dung beetles help with fertilizing and nutrient distribution, bees and butterflies are of course great pollenators, and things like ladybugs and praying mantis' will eat your annoying aphids and pest control for you!

I think definitely lol, it’s best to try to not kill them but it’s ok if you do imo 😭 like when I see a spider in my house I (force my dad to) kill it, because honestly one less spider means ill have less spiders scaring me… ok that sounds really bad but I have arachnophobia 😭😭

but with other bugs I definitely don’t agree with killing them (well aside from mosquitos)

I will rescue and relocate bees, butterflies, ladybugs and praying mantis, mosquitoes are immediately killed if they get anywhere near me because I hate them (I knowww they’re important to the food chain or whatever but I get massive welts when they bite me), and if a bug is outside, that’s its home and it can stay (minus mosquitoes obviously), if it’s in my house, it’s probably getting smacked with a shoe tho

livi 🍉 wrote: "I will rescue and relocate bees, butterflies, ladybugs and praying mantis, mosquitoes are immediately killed if they get anywhere near me because I hate them (I knowww they’re important to the food..."

yesss I agree! the only exception is spiders for me 😭