Keet Patango Ki Ascharyajanak Baten - Book Summary

Here's a comprehensive summary of the Jain text "Keet Patango ki Ascharyajanak Baten" (Amazing Facts about Insects) by Rajnish Prakash:

This book, published by Vidya Vihar in 1991, is a Hindi-language exploration of the fascinating and often surprising world of insects. The author, Rajnish Prakash, aims to reveal the myriad of wonders and peculiarities found in these creatures, highlighting their diversity, adaptations, and behaviors.

Key themes and facts covered in the book include:

Vast Diversity and Numbers: The book begins by acknowledging the immense diversity of insects, with scientific estimates suggesting anywhere from 1 million to 8 million species. The difficulty in accurately counting them is attributed to variations in appearance even within the same species.
Insects' Eyes: A significant portion is dedicated to the extraordinary nature of insect eyes. It explains that many insects don't have two simple eyes but rather compound eyes composed of numerous smaller units called "phalikaen" (ommatidia). For instance, an ant's eye can have over 50 such units, while a housefly's can have 4,000. Some moths are said to have as many as 50,000. This compound vision allows them to see without moving their necks.
Habitats and Homes: Insects inhabit virtually every corner of the Earth, from deep caves (blind crickets) to icy regions (springtails, which survive by absorbing sunlight). They build homes from mud (wasps), utilize plant stems, reside in ponds, and even prefer specific locations like the "Bee Fall" in Pachmarhi, India, named after the abundant beehives. Some insects make homes in carpets and cushions (like bedbugs), while others prefer furniture like chairs. Insects like "ghun" (weevils) inhabit grain stores, "sursuri" infest rice, and "illi" (caterpillars) affect chickpeas.
Parental Care and Egg Protection: Insects are remarkably adept at protecting their eggs, even with their vast numbers (billions). Various methods are employed:
- Hiding eggs in the earth (grasshoppers).
- Laying eggs in safe corners (cockroaches).
- Depositing eggs in "bobbi" (nests) (ants and termites).
- Enclosing eggs in a viscous substance for protection.
- Utilizing tree hollows or crevices.
- Covering egg masses with mud (wasps).
- Coating eggs with a wax-like layer for insulation.
- Hiding eggs in tree bark to evade predators.
- Laying eggs on refuse (flies) or in small, secure crevices in beds (bedbugs).
- Adhering eggs to hair (lice).
Insects' Homes are Wonders: The book highlights the architectural marvels of insect homes, comparing beehives to disciplined communities and termite mounds ("bobbi" or "at hill") to impressive structures that can reach 20-25 feet in height. The "budbud" home of the "fog hopper" (spittlebug) made from frothy secretion is also mentioned. Ants dig burrows, and spiders construct webs to trap prey.
Paper Makers and Insulation: Wasps and hornets are recognized as the world's first paper makers, grinding wood and using saliva to create paper-like materials. This behavior is suggested as a potential inspiration for human paper production. Insects also possess remarkable abilities to insulate themselves and their young, as seen with some bees that build nests in wood ("carpenter bees").
Insects and Water: While not aquatic, many insects lay their eggs in stagnant water (mosquitoes), in puddles, ponds, drains, or even water-filled containers. Some water insects lay eggs on the water's surface or even dive underwater to do so.
Why Not in the Sea? The book explains that insects are not found in the sea because their small bodies and the salty water are incompatible with their physiology.
Insects as Oviparous: Like birds, insects are oviparous, meaning they hatch from eggs. However, the incubation periods vary drastically. Some caterpillars' eggs take two years to hatch, while fly eggs hatch in just a few hours. Some insects are viviparous, giving birth to live young.
Insect Anatomy and Physiology:
- Body Structure: Insects have soft, colorful bodies. Their skin serves as their skeleton. Some have a hard outer shell.
- Respiration: They breathe through small holes called "spiracles" located on their sides, resembling train windows.
- Senses: Thin hairs on their bodies help them feel, smell, and taste. They lack complex ears and noses like humans but possess heightened senses of smell and can sense vibrations through their legs.
- Hearing: Some insects have "ears" on their abdomens or small auditory organs on their legs.
Communication and Sound: Many insects produce buzzing sounds by flapping their wings. This buzzing can also result from the rubbing of legs. Sounds are used to identify each other, attract mates, and deter predators. Some create sound by rubbing their bodies or jaws.
Voracious Eaters: Insects eat prodigious amounts, often consuming their body weight daily. They consume vegetation, fruits, plants, wool, leather, hair, wood, and paper. They are described as perpetually hungry.
Life Cycles and Parental Care: Some insects die after laying eggs, with short lifespans. Others, like wasps, bees, ants, and termites, live longer and actively raise their young.
Insect-Plant Interactions: The book touches upon the predator-prey relationship between plants and insects, mentioning carnivorous plants like the pitcher plant that trap insects.
Insects' Ancient History: Cockroaches are estimated to have been on Earth for 350 million years. Many insects existed during the Mesozoic era (200 million years ago), and scorpions date back to the Paleozoic era (500 million years ago). Fossils provide evidence of this ancient lineage, with insect fossils found up to 240 million years old.
Size Variations: Insects exhibit a wide range of sizes, from those smaller than a grain of sugar to giants like the Goliath beetle, which can be as large as a banana.
Instinct and Natural Behavior: Insects are guided by instinct from birth. They instinctively know what to eat and where to find it, without needing to be taught.
Pollination and Soil Health: Many insects, like butterflies and bees, are vital for pollination, helping plants reproduce. Some insects also contribute to soil fertility by aerating and enriching it.
Cleanliness: Insects have a natural inclination for cleanliness. Bees use specialized hooks on their legs to collect pollen, and insects clean themselves by rubbing their wings.
Camouflage and Mimicry: Many insects possess the ability to change their color or have body structures that allow them to blend seamlessly with their environment, acting as camouflage.
Fireflies and Light: Fireflies use a chemical reaction (luciferin and luciferase) to produce light, a phenomenon scientists are still trying to replicate artificially.
Insects as Food and Resources: The book notes that some insects are eaten by humans in various cultures, and they are also used to produce valuable resources like silk and shellac.
Insects as Pests and Disease Carriers: The book also details the detrimental impact of insects, particularly mosquitoes (malaria, dengue), flies (disease carriers), ants, cockroaches, and locusts (crop destruction). It highlights that no home is entirely insect-free.
Role of Burying Beetles: Certain beetles, known as "carrion beetles," bury dead organisms, facilitating decomposition and enriching the soil.
The "Why" of Nature: The book contemplates the innate behaviors of insects, posing the question "why" and attributing their actions to natural instincts and qualities.
Sexual Dimorphism and Behavior: It mentions that male mosquitoes die after mating, while female mosquitoes live longer. Scorpions engage in a mating dance, and in some species, the female consumes the male after mating. Some water insects rely on males to protect their eggs.
Insect Egg Diversity: Insect eggs come in various shapes and sizes, some resembling crowns or even cabbages.
Legs and Wings: Most insects have four wings, while flies have two. Some insects have specialized legs for locomotion and feeding. Spider-like insects have eight legs, while crabs and lobsters have ten.
Insects as Tools: Insects use their body parts as tools for digging, building, and capturing prey.
Insects in Human Innovations: The concept of "skin drivers" in insects, which help with buoyancy, is linked to the development of scuba diving equipment.
Termites: A Menace and Wonder: Termites are described as destructive pests that consume wood, books, and crops. They are highly social insects with a caste system similar to bees. Their mounds can be massive.
Ants: Industrious and Organized: Ants are portrayed as highly organized and disciplined creatures, engaging in farming, herding "aphids" for their sweet secretions, and even waging wars. They have various specialized roles like soldier ants and worker ants.
Spiders: Architects of Webs: Spiders are highlighted for their intricate webs, which are stronger than steel thread. They use silk to trap prey and often consume their mates.
Butterflies: Beauty and Commerce: Butterflies are presented as the most attractive insects to humans, with a significant global trade in them. Their role in pollination is emphasized. Efforts are being made to protect them through sanctuaries, mirroring conservation efforts for birds.
Caterpillars: Unfortunate Victims: Caterpillars are deemed the most unfortunate insects due to their vulnerability to predators. Despite their role in food chains, they are also a food source for humans in some cultures.
The Value of Insects: The book concludes by stressing the indispensable role of insects in the ecosystem, from pollination and soil enrichment to their use as food and resources. It urges readers to shed the misconception that all insects are harmful.

In essence, "Keet Patango ki Ascharyajanak Baten" serves as an informative and engaging guide to the world of insects, revealing their incredible diversity, complex behaviors, and essential ecological roles, all from a perspective that appreciates the wonders of nature.