It is noted that 67 million years ago their negative impact was minimal.
Biologists at the University of Wyoming have begun analyzing insect behavior and comparing plant health.
It turned out that plants were becoming increasingly damaged and sick due to pest activity.
For the dynamics, scientists took samples of leaves with traces of damage that date from the Late Cretaceous to Pleistocene.
They then compared them to leaves that had been collected in modern forests.
So, it helped scientists compare the types and extent of damage the plants had sustained.
It turned out that modern insects do enormous damage to plants.
Scientists suggest that such activity is related to globalization, industrial urbanization and human activity.
Air pollution and possible mutation affect both insects and plants.