Entomological warfare

Entomological warfare, or EW, is a specific form of biological warfare. It involves using insects to cause harm to people, animals, or environments. These insects can be used to interrupt supply lines by destroying crops. They can also act as vectors to spread diseases to human or animal populations. A vector is a living thing that carries and transmits a pathogen, such as a germ or virus, from one host to another. Because of its potential for widespread harm, the use of insects to deliver toxins or biological agents is now illegal under the Biological and Toxic Weapons Convention of 1972.

There are three primary ways that entomological warfare can be carried out. The first method involves infecting insects with a specific pathogen. These infected insects are then dispersed over a target area. Once released, the insects act as vectors by biting people or animals and spreading the disease. The second method is a direct attack on agriculture. In this scenario, the insects may not carry a disease, but they are used to destroy crops and cause economic damage. The third method involves using uninfected insects, such as bees, to attack an enemy directly.

History shows that using insects for conflict is an ancient concept. Some historians suggest that the Black Death in the 14th century might have been an early instance of EW. This massive plague epidemic in Asia Minor was carried by fleas. It is theorized that the Golden Horde may have used biological attacks on the city of Kaffa to spread the disease. Even earlier, humans likely used bees as weapons. They would throw bee nests into caves to force enemies out into the open. Some theories even suggest the Ark of the Covenant may have contained deadly fleas.

World War II saw the most significant developments in entomological warfare. Japan is the only nation known to have verifiably implemented these methods against another state. During the war, Japan's Unit 731, led by Lieutenant General Shiro Ishii, used plague-infected fleas and flies covered in cholera. They used specialized tools called Yagi bombs to drop these insects from low-flying airplanes over China. These attacks caused devastating epidemics. Historians have estimated that these actions resulted in the deaths of between 440,000 and 500,000 Chinese people.

Other nations also researched insect-based weapons during World War II. France and Germany both studied the Colorado potato beetle as a potential weapon. The goal was to use the beetle to destroy enemy food sources. Germany even conducted tests south of Frankfurt, where they released 54,000 beetles. While there is no record of the beetle being used as a weapon, a large infestation occurred in Germany in 1944. Scientists still debate if this was caused by Allied attacks, German testing, or a natural occurrence. In 1942, the United States even shipped 15,000 beetles to Britain for study.

During the Cold War, many countries expanded their research into entomological warfare. Canada was a pioneer in this field, specifically in vector-borne warfare. Dr. G.B. Reed at Queen's University researched mosquito vectors, biting flies, and plague-infected fleas. The Soviet Union also developed programs to use insects to transmit animal diseases. They used ticks to transmit foot and mouth disease and claimed they could breed millions of parasitic insects every day. The United States conducted extensive research at Fort Detrick. Their labs were capable of producing 100 million yellow fever-infected mosquitoes every month.

The United States also conducted field tests to understand how insects behave. In 1954, an operation called Big Itch tested munitions loaded with uninfected fleas. The military also dropped over 300,000 uninfected mosquitoes over its own population to study their movement. During the Korean War, North Korean and Chinese officials accused the United States of using biological warfare, including EW. While some authors have supported these claims, other historians and documents suggest these accusations were part of a disinformation campaign. This history demonstrates how the study of small organisms has been deeply tied to global military strategy and international law.