FOREWORD 



NOTHING in this world of ours exists to, for or by 

 itself alone. Every living creature depends upon some 

 other form of life, or upon inorganic matter and is, in 

 turn, the dependence of others that find it useful or 

 essential for continued existence. And as inorganic 

 matter is, after all, the base of organic matter as we 

 know it, plus the addition that makes it organic and 

 whose nature we do not yet know, so in due course all 

 organised forms again return to their lifeless constituents. 



Every living thing, then, has relations to many 

 other living things and some of these relations, so far 

 as insects are concerned, it is my object to present. 

 I need hardly disclaim any attempt at completeness; 

 but so far as the presentation goes it claims accuracy. 

 A large proportion of the facts have been personally 

 observed or verified, others are common knowledge 

 and all are based upon the observations or records of 

 scientific investigators. 



Some of these relations of insects to the welfare of 

 man have been but recently worked out and are imper- 

 fectly known; yet enough has come to the general 

 information to arouse a decided interest in these long 

 despised creatures. Their presence or absence from our 

 midst may make all the difference between sickness 

 and health, irritation and comfort, poverty or wealth, 

 or, on the other hand, wealth and poverty. They make 

 some regions uninhabitable that would otherwise be 

 attractive as sites for homes and, altogether, their 

 influence upon humanity, directly and indirectly, is 

 vastly greater than is generally realized. 



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