Does microbiology have ANYTHING to do with insects?

Question

Ok well I am in year nine and I have to choose my subjects for year ten.

I am interested in Entomology, and on the sheet of subjects I can pick, it had under science Microbiology (what bugs you).

Now, at first, when it said MICRObiology i thought it had something to do with bugs.... but then i found out i was wrong, but hey. But then I got kind of confused about the (what bugs you) bit. What do you think they mean by that? What bugs me as in viruses??? Or just what BUGs me? I don't think insects have anything to do with microbiology, but just asking..

Thanks for listening :)

Answer 1

"bugs" are a term that some people use for bacterial organisms.

When I took microbiology, every friday we would have something called "bug of the week" where we went into pretty heavy detail about one type of bacteria. I thought it was weird at first, but since then I've heard the term "bug" used in this way several other places.

Answer 2

Insects have the same kinda microbe loading as do you and I.  Maybe you are not aware of that.  But we humans are covered with bacteria.  Not only on the outside but inside as well.  Actually most things have some sort of bacteria on or in them.  We only get concerned when those bacteria become harmful.  There are many millions of bacteria species out there that have not been discovered.  

Insect have very much to do with microbes.  Many disease are cause by microbes that are transfer from an insect to a human.  You have much to learn.

Answer 3

Microbiology deals with organisms on a cellular level. So it wouldn't have a lot to do with insects. What I think the "what bugs you" part refers to is the common reference to bacteria and viruses as bugs. As in "I'm sick today, I must have caught that bug going around the office."

Answer 4

Microbiology is a separate branch of bioscience, while as Entomology is separate branch. However, many microbes may have the insects as primary or seconday hosts or insects may have several types of microbes as their pathogens.