How Arthropods Can Be Used as Biological Weapons - Essay Example

There are three ways by which arthropods can be used as biological weapons; first, they can be infected with disease agents such as bacteria or viruses which they deliver to human targets (Pate, and Caeron, 2003). Secondly, the arthropods can be used to attack crops and animals so as to cause crop destruction. The insects could either directly feed on the crops or cause an infection to the crops (vectors). Thirdly, the insects could be used to directly torment the targeted population. Such insects include bees and wasps (Pate, and Caeron, 2003, 72). They could attack the local people to cause pain and distress. This is equally threatening just as disease conditions hence it should be prevented in order to preserve family bonds.

There are historical instances where entomological warfare was suspected in various incidences. The 14th century epidemic in Asia commonly known as the Black Death is suspected to be in this category (Nuorteva, 1959, 132). Bubonic plague which caused this mass death was vectored by the rat flea (Xenopsylla cheopsis). The plague spread over Europe as a biological attack on the Crimean city of Kaffa (Lockwood, 2007, 2). This is one of the earliest disease outbreaks in microbiological history, which can be redesigned by terrorists or other attackers to cause more fatalities to the human victims. Secondly, During the American Civil War, the Union was accused of intentionally introducing the harlequin bug to enemy camps in the south to distract them from preparations for war and their normal lives (Nuorteva, 1961, 27). This is believed to have given the Union unfair privilege over the Confederacy.

The modern advances in genetic engineering have made it possible for entomologists to design insects that can cause great damage to crops and livestock. For example, CRISPR technology can be used to create genetically modified "Killer Mosquitos", which cause plagues with a capability of wiping out staple crops and cause hunger (Kaufmann, Meltzer, and Schmid, 1997,28). It is possible to design other agent s which could cause even more damage to the targeted population. For example, during the cold war, the United States Army designed a laboratory that could produce 100 million mosquitos infected with Yellow fever virus (Mattingly, Crosskey, and

Smith, 1973, 4). The army tested the impact of this warfare by dropping uninfected mosquitos over its cities such as New York. There was no Yellow fever, but up to 92% of the residents in the targeted cities were attacked by the mosquitos (Peterson, 1990, 3). This, therefore, proved to be biologically risky and capable of causing a lot of distress to the victim. It was tested by the best and was observed to be a great risk if it falls into the wrong hands.

Conclusively, entomological warfare in the modern world is a far more serious than a mere scare to the local population. Insects spread fast without control and can either cause great destruction or transmit infections to either people, livestock or crops. Other insects such as locusts mechanically destroy the crops by cutting the buds, leaves, flowers and even fruits. Entomological agents can also be designed to cause infections in people such as hemorrhagic fevers, including Yellow Fever and Marburg, which can cause great mortality and morbidity within a short time. The risk is therefore beyond a scare as it has been done in history by various groups and caused different devastating results, most of which are very fatal. Entomological warfare is practically applicable in the modern warfare, hence it should be well monitored.

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