Summer is here and with it come the bugs. What possible reason can there be for their existence other than to bother us? As a gardener and small farmer, let me tell you—we need bugs more than they need us. Really! Discover five reasons we need insects, all that we humans have learned from the way they work, and cool insect facts. Judging by all the different products on store shelves aimed at eradicating insects of all kinds, the world would be a better place without them... or would it? It is estimated that there are 200 million insects for each person! That's a lot of bugs. Sure, there are some "bad" bugs: crop pests destroy billions of dollars worth of food every year, a single locust eats it own body weight daily, and many deadly diseases are transmitted to humans by insects. However, only about 1% of all insects and mites are harmful. Almost all bugs play a very important role in our survival. 5 Reasons Why We Need Insects
Image: Dung beetles keep grazing land usable by removing animal waste and digging tunnels that aerate the soil. What We've Learned From BugsInsects have been incredibly successful on Earth and we humans have learned a lot from the way they work:
We take for granted some direct products and services insects provide for us, such as:
Ants are drawn to the nectar peony buds exude. While feeding there they do no harm and keep other bugs away! We Need Bugs; They Don't Need UsInsects have been around much longer than humans and way before the dinosaurs. They were the first flying things on earth and have survived 5 rounds of mass extinctions. We need bugs, but they don't need us; in fact, they need us to stop trying to kill them. One quarter of all insects are thought to be facing extinction. Intensive farming and forestry practices, loss of habitat, pesticides, climate change, and introduction of invasive species all pose a threat. Anything that affects them also affects us, and a loss of insects could have a negative impact on our ecosystem. Don't just kill every bug you see. Get to know who is friend and who is foe before you reach for that can of Raid! Learn more about Beneficial Insects in the Garden.
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