Getting eye-to-eye with anything with more than four legs is not everyone’s cup of tea. But Danae Wolfe actively searches for these opportunities. As a conservation photographer, Wolfe started Chasing Bugs in 2015, an organisation advocating for the protection of insects and spiders. She focuses her lens on the bugs in suburban gardens, showcasing the importance of insects in every ecosystem.
Bugs are not only found in parks and reserves, but they exist in any space that is suitable for their survival. “I hope that people begin to understand that our home environments are every much a part of the natural ecosystem as the forests and mountains,” Wolfe says. Insects play a vital role in the decomposition of waste in nature. They are also essential to the pollination and reproduction of plants, without which there would be no crops or harvests. Most insects that are considered pests in homes or agriculture are invasive to a specific area and were introduced by humans. When they are in their natural habitat, they are essential for the survival of that space.
Macro photography allows Wolfe to get up-close and personal with insects and spiders, and capture the finer details of the tiny creatures. “It almost humanises them,” she says. Once people understand bugs in this way, they are less likely to be viewed as pests, or something that can be killed simply because it’s there. “It makes them a real animal, not just a scurrying creature to be stepped on,” Wolfe says.
With declining natural habitats and changing climate patterns, insects are being forced into cities and towns. Manicured lawns and landscaped gardens can be hostile environments for them as pesticides and other chemicals are used to keep these areas looking pristine. Wolfe works to protect insects by educating people on their impact and how they can conserve them in their home spaces. Through advocating for sustainable practices, she is defending bugs not only in America, but around the globe. “These creepy crawlies keep the world running,” Wolfe says.
