To:
Rupert Giles
From:
Greg VanNostrand
Date:
February 9, 2009
Subject:
Definition of Bug
This is the definition report you requested concerning the incident that occurred just before
you started work here. This information will be necessary in order for you to understand the
problem and make our part in this issue clear with the press and the city council. I have
included a full account of the incident, followed by a definition of the term “bug” and a few
examples of how to use the word correctly.
The Misunderstanding
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On February 2 of this year several local schools reported that they were experiencing serious
problems with a “bug” and that the problem was spreading. Due to the urgency of the reports, our
company responded immediately. Based solely on this information, we responded by sending out our
pest control teams to treat each school’s property with several general insecticides in order to eliminate
any possibly harmful bug infestations within the school buildings.
Several hours into our efforts, we came to find out that the schools were not having a problem with an
insect, but that the “bug” that was reported was referring to a computer virus that was taking down the
schools’ computer systems. Upon receiving this information, our pest control personnel halted their
applications of pesticides. Unfortunately, we had already applied enough insecticide in the schools that
they had to remain closed for several days before anyone could safely reenter the buildings.
This incident has resulted in several days of school lost and IT personnel were also unable to deal with
the computer problem in time to save much of the schools’ records. The school board is angry over
the lost information and the loss of several days out of their academic calendar. Parents are also
upset that they had to keep their children home during this incident. In addition, our company has been
under attack from several environmentalist groups over our actions.
Definition of Bug
To better understand this problem, people need to know why we misinterpreted the situation.
The term “bug” is the common name for a specific Order of insects. Insects are like other
living organisms in that they have their place in a hierarchal system of scientific classification
that groups organisms by Kingdoms, Phylums, Classes, Orders, Families, Genre, and then
Species. An insect is in the Kingdom Anamalia, the Phylum Arthropoda, and the Class
Insecta. Within the Class Insecta, there are thirty-two Orders.
“Bug” refers to an insect in the order Hemiptera. They are separated from other insect orders
by their sheathed, beak-like mouthparts and the half-hardened forewings that many of them
possess. While many are herbivorous, there are also predatory species and some parasitic
species. When we are presented with the word “bug”, this is the definition that we associate
with that term.
This term is often used by the public when referring to all insects and insect-like organisms
whether those animals are true bugs or not. This is reinforced by the technically incorrect
common names of several insects and their kin. For example; ladybugs and lightning bugs
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are not bugs, they are beetles. Likewise, pill bugs are not bugs and they are not even
insects, they are crustaceans.
Bug is also commonly used in reference to an illness. Many people say they have caught a
“bug” when referring to a flu or cold that they have contracted. In the next section, I will cover
some correct examples of bugs.
Examples
While there are many ecologically important bugs, due to their numerous interactions with
plants and animals, there are a few that can pose threats to human health. The following
examples of bugs are classified as such by having the characteristics mentioned in the
definition section above. Examples 1 and 3 are of particular concern in regards to human
health.
Example 1
A bed bug is a bug that will feed on humans nocturnally and can facilitate stress and
insomnia.
Example 2
An assassin bug is a predatory bug that captures and feeds on other insects.
Example 3
A kissing bug is a bug that will blood feed on mammals and can transmit Chagas
disease.
Conclusion
This whole misunderstanding was the result of persons within the schools incorrectly referring
to a computer virus as a “bug”. If the problem had been more accurately described, the
proper people would have been contacted to handle this problem. A bug refers to a specific
insect, not an illness or computer software problem. By sharing this information with the
public, we can hopefully avoid another situation like this. Feel free to contact me again if
there is any more information you need.
References
Borror, D.J., Delong, D.M., and Triplehorn, C.A. (1979). An Introduction to the Study of
Insects, Fourth Edtition. New York, NY: Holt, Rinehart, and Winston.
Borror, D.J. and White, R.E. (1998). Peterson Field Guides: Insects, Second Edition. New
York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Evans, J.W. (1963). The phylogeny of the Homoptera. Ann.Rev.Ent 8:77-94.
Tree of Life web project. (2008). Hemiptera. http://tolweb.org/Hemiptera/8239.
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