Hug a Bug…Sort Of

Not all endangered animals are cute and furry. Some have six legs and an exoskeleton!

Insects are another kind of animal that can be endangered. There are 200 million insects on Earth for every single human, and there are millions of species of insects alive. But as we take over their habitats and use more and more chemicals in the environment, some of the insects are dying off. The Mitchell’s satyr butterfly, for example, is one of the many insects on the list of endangered species in the U.S.

Why should you care about insects? Insects are a very important part of our ecosystem. They have a lot of jobs:

1. Insects help to spread pollen between plants, such as fruits and vegetables, so that we have the crops we need to eat

2. Insects help to break down decaying plant and animal matter

3. Insects serve as food for larger animals

4. Some insects eat “pesky” insects before they bother us (praying mantises eat mosquitoes and other annoying insects)

5. Insects help control weeds in some areas

6. Insects help us make many products that we use today, such as silk, medicine, and food (like honey!)

7. Insects teach us a lot about biology and our world

Plus, if changes we make in our environment are causing insects to become extinct, then those changes are probably also affecting other animals, as well. Without insects, most of the rest of the life on our planet would gradually disappear.

Insects aren’t just bugs! You might not want a beetle in your bedroom, but having insects in our environment keeps nature in balance.

References used for this article: Insecta Inspecta World;Michigan Department of Natural Resources;Encyclopedia Smithsonian;O. Orkin Insect Zoo

Photographs used in this article are the works of the federal government and are in the public domain.