The Importance of Insects

Cockroaches, flies, mosquitoes, wasps and ants are the insects most people think about when someone mentions bugs, and this is because they "bug" people. But there are a lot of other insects out there in the world and they play a valuable part in the environment as well as provide many useful products.

First, think about food, and not just honey. Almost 50% of the foods found in the world today rely in insect pollination; grains, fruits and vegetables aren't all! Even dairy and meat products rely on those little arthropods as every animal that eats uses plants in some way. Cattle eat clover, pollinated by bees, or grass, seeds spread by ants. Same is true for goats and sheep. Pigs are a bit different, but still feed on a selection of plants, most of which need those "bugs". Carnivores eat herbivores which eat plants.

Then think about beauty. Flowers came into being to attract insects for pollination, no insects = no flowers. What would the world be like without Roses or Yellow Bells or Black-eyed Suzie's? Certainly a much duller planet! Other useful products from insects include silk from moths (they still can't artificially synthesize it very well) and shellac from beetles!

And don't forget Butterflies. They are the native pollinators for many species of plants and are usually brightly colored. Their metamorphosis is also fascinating, great for teaching children about change and the world around us; beautiful to behold. They come in such a variety that it is amazing.

How about entertainment? Much fiction in the past and still today is based upon insects. Many myths and teaching stories are based on the insect world (remember the ant and the grasshopper?). What would fairytales be like if the fairies didn't have butterfly wings? There have always been "bug-eyed aliens" and even the movie Alien was based upon the lifestyle of a parasitic wasp. The weird life cycles of insects have inspired writers for centuries!

Scientists studied dragonflies to design helmets for fighter pilots and are still trying to understand how bumble bees fly. Few people know that some species of butterflies actually migrate over water, travelling for thousands of miles without ever landing, something that can get hundreds of miles per gallon, that's fuel efficiency! Those nasty cockroaches are immune to radiation; if we could duplicate it that would knock out part of the effectiveness of a nuclear bomb.

So when next the bugs are bugging you, try bugging them instead; bug them to discover their secrets. Watch and learn, there are truly some interesting insects!