Why REALLY Are Insects Important?

By Anonymous -

Whether you know a lot or very little about insects, you probably do know that insects play a vital role in the world around us. If it were not for insects, many species of plants would die and become extinct. Some animal populations would sky rocket in numbers, and others would plummet.While some insects may just seem like major pests, if it were not for them, our ecosystem would crumble. 

 As children, we learn in elementary school that insects are very important, for they pollinate plants. Examples of orders that pollinate are Hymenoptera (Honeybees, Wasps, Ants), Diptera (Flies, Mosquitoes) and Lepidoptera (Moths, Butterflies). Since many of these insects feed on nectar from certain plants, they must land on a plant to feed. When a pollinating insect lands on a plant to feed, pollen sticks to their underbelly, then when they go to feed on another plant, the pollen is transferred to the next plant, fertilizing that plant. Therefore, if insects were not around, many plants that need this form of fertilization would not be fertilized, allowing them to slowly die off. This is a very important role of many insects, but only a very small amount of insects pollinate plants. 
http://scienceblogs.com/tomorrowstable/wp-content/blogs.dir/333/files/2012/04/i-548b9ab9f0d09abf48c9b2d8b5485814-plantstructure%20pollination%205-1.JPG


 So if only a small amount of insect pollinate plants, what other roles do insects play in the environment?

 Insects are an important role in the food chain, for they are food for many amphibians and reptiles. Most insects are omnivorous, so they feed on plants, fungi and other insects. Predatory insects that feed on other insects help keep pest populations down and keep populations at a neutral level.

 Insects are also very helpful in decomposing. While many times bacteria and other microscopic organisms are known as decomposers, insects help immensely with this process. As microscopic organisms decompose things such as roadkill, compost piles and etc., many insects helps along the way, feeding of the rich nutrients provided.

 While these are all examples of how insects are important in our ecosystem, they also are beneficial to the human race. Many things that humans love so much such as honey and silk come from insects.
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/Malacosoma_neustria_caterpillars_on_silk_tent.JPG

http://static1.squarespace.com/static/4f34530ecb12e336a9dfe29c/t/520207c8e4b0f1c31ae33a28/1375864777539/honeybee-honeycomb-macro_26201_990x742.jpg


Also, while it may sound cheesy, humans can learn a great deal from insects. Take ants for example. In the video linked below, you will see ants are using teamwork to move large pieces of food so their whole colony can eat. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNc-ob6344M

Like I said, even though it may seem cheesy, humans can learn a great deal about teamwork from insects. Whether it be these ants or whether it be a colony of wasp defending each other. 

Insects perform a huge role in our everyday lives and in our ecosystem. I think it is time the human race stops overlooking these wonderful creatures and marking them of as gross and annoying, but instead as beautiful, helpful and magnificent.

Sources

http://extension.entm.purdue.edu/radicalbugs/default.php?page=importance_of_insects
http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/ent425/text01/impact1.html

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