Without insects there would be no . . .
Beneficial Insects
Insects are integral to the planet's health. They are vital
to the food web, essential for
pollination, pest control,
decomposition, and food production; give us gifts of
honey, silk,
and
dyes; and play
an important role in science and
genetic research.
Pollination
Pollination, performed by bees and other
flying insects, gives us fruits and vegetables. Without this
service of transferring pollen from the stamen, or male flower
part, of a flowering plant to the pistil, or female flower part,
of the same or another plant, plants could not produce their fruits.
Pest Control
Pest control is an important population-control service performed
by insect-eating insects. For each pest species, nature has produced
several natural enemies that help to keep its population level
in balance. This service is critical because, with thousands of
acres devoted to single crops, insect pests have multiplied.
Honey
Honey is a popular delicacy made from nectar that bees
gather from flowers. Since bees pollinate plants as they collect
nectar, many thousands of hives are transported to areas where
flowering crops need pollination. The United States produces about
90 million kg. (200 million lbs.) of this commercially produced honey each year.
Beeswax
Beeswax is used to make candles, furniture polish, ointments,
lubricants, and insulation. Beeswax is derived from fatty acids, alcohol,
hydrocarbons, and other substances secreted as little white plates
from worker bees' abdomens. Bees in the United States alone produce
nearly 3.6 million kg. (8 million lbs.) of beeswax each year.
Silk
Silk is a natural fiber that comes from a caterpillar's modified salivary
glands. Moth cocoons supply the world with 425 million dollars'
worth of luxury clothing items each year.
Cochineal Red Dyes
Cochineal red dyes are a natural product used from ancient
times to color cosmetics, textiles, and medicines that is made
from the dried and ground bodies of scale insects. About 70,000
insects are needed to make .45 kg (1 lb.) of this.
Shellac
The wax secreted by certain scale insects is mixed with resins and sugar
to make shellac, which is used as a wood finish. Despite widespread use
of synthetic versions, this remains a 20-million-dollar-a-year
business in the United States.
Genetic Research
Fruit flies are ideal for genetic research
because
they have only four pairs of chromosomes and reproduce quickly.
Also, their salivary glands are so large that the chromosomes
inside are easy to see.
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