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The Importance of Insects

• 95% to 99% of all animal species are invertebrates.
• Over 75% of animal life is insects.
• Insects along with plants support all the major food chains.
• One of every four animals is a beetle!
• Insects are irreplaceable in food webs and in the maintenance of ecosystems, as popular food items in many cultures: from crabs, lobsters and shrimp to squid and octopus to various caterpillars and beetle grubs.
• Food and products produced by invertebrates have found their uses in human society for example; honey, wax, silk, shellac, dyes, etc.
• Some invertebrates can even be assigned as conservationists. Tsetse flies ( Glossina sp.) have probably helped to save more wildlife in Africa than any conservation organization. By transmitting trypanosomids, causing sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in cattle, they have effectively excluded people and their domestic livestock from colonizing large parts of Africa allowing these areas to be set aside for wildlife.
• 10% of animal biomass on the planet are termites and another 10% are ants.
• Of the hundreds of plants listed are threatened or endangered, most have never had their pollinators identified.

What Can You Do to Help Save Our Butterflies? 

There has been a growing concern for local butterfly populations and their habitat. Over the past several decades, local butterfly populations have dropped significantly, with some species disappearing altogether from the area. These changes are linked to decreases in habitat health and availability.

Many people use pesticides, herbicides and fungicides to get rid of “pests” found in their lawn gardens.

Most pesticides are general pesticides, which means they kill a wide variety of organisms including the target pests. These chemicals kill microscopic animals including mites, bacteria and fungi and they also kill other beneficial insects like earthworms! The remaining species that have survived will end up flourishing due to a lack of competition and predation. This completely throws of the balance and the use of pesticides increases. The level of chemicals will then intensify until the soil is toxic to plants, animals and people.

Many pesticides either don't degrade readily or they breakdown into compounds that are equally as dangerous as, if not more dangerous than, the original pesticide. It is important to realize that pesticides move around a great deal throughout the environment. They move through the soil, water and the air sometimes very long distances putting many organisms at risk including humans.

Examples of commonly used pesticides and their side effects are:

• Dursban (Chloropyrifos) is known as nerve gas.
• Malathion is a toxic pesticide causing birth defects.
• Methyl bromide is a toxic pesticide that depletes the ozone layer. It is used in growing strawberries, tomatoes and other crops.
• Dichlorvos is a toxic organophosphate used in households.
• P opoxur is a toxic insecticide that disrupts the nervous system.

Try promoting a healthy environment by not using these harmful chemicals.