How Bugs Help The Planet

Bugs may be creepy and outright weird but do you know that without bugs, we would be living in a completely different planet? Insects big and small are found in almost all areas of the globe; from the coldest to the driest areas. These tiny, busy creatures play an important role. Bugs help the planet more than what you may think.

Insects Play Important Roles In The Ecosystem

Do you know that there are billions of insects on the planet? Most of these creatures work nonstop looking for food and building homes and unknown to most people; insects play a huge role in the balance of the ecosystem.

Insects like bees and ants are the best examples of social interactions. We learn a lot from these creatures, and this information we apply to our daily lives.

Insects Aerate The Soil

The reason why we have lovely flowers, delicious vegetables, and fruits is because of the work of minute insects that burrow the ground, aerating the soil. Ants, beetles, and grasshoppers burrow deep into the earth, creating tunnels, mixing nutrients and allowing oxygen to enter the soil and move to the roots.

If you see a beetle or ants busily moving from the ground and through holes they made in the ground, just let them be. Most likely, they are building their homes similar to complex tunnels in the ground. These insects are also likely collecting food and preparing for the coming wet season. You would too if a storm or drought is expected right?

Insect Pollinate Flowers

Insect like bees helps plants flower, grow fruits and seeds. When bees sip pollen from one flower to another, the pollen also attaches to its feet and belly. As it moves from one flower to another, it transfers pollen, and this pollinates flowers to grow fruits. This simple process is responsible for the creation of different kinds of fruits, vegetables, and flowers.

Insects Help Control Pests

One extraordinary insect is the ladybug, a tiny, colorful, and hardworking bug that has a voracious appetite. But it does not eat plants or fruits like some insects. Ladybugs devour aphids and other destructive insects. Without ladybugs, your garden will get overrun by pests which can devour your crops in one night!

 And another impressive thing about the ladybug is seen in almost all countries in the world. You may even find ladybugs in nearly all countries in the world except for the cold regions of the Arctic and the Antarctic.

Insects Recycle Nutrients To The Soil

When animals die, insects help decompose bodies, and the nutrients are recycled back to the soil. This is why plants grow well in soil with unique components. The nutrients that are delivered back to the earth lets you grow different kinds of plants. The nutrients extend from the topsoil to the layers underneath. Once your plants have developed healthier root systems, these can absorb nutrients better. See how bugs help the planet!

Insects Produce Different Substances

Insects like bees create honey, and this is very useful for its therapeutic properties. Honey has analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, which is sought by many. Honey comes from pollen that bees get from different flowers. Honey is grown locally or exported to different areas on the planet. Without honey bees, there wouldn’t be any honey. Also, it’s easy to keep honey and will last for a long time when properly stored.

Humans have long-since kept honeybees to make honey on demand. There’s no need to go into the wild to collect honey because beekeepers collect the substance from manmade hives.

Rise of silk

Another impressive product is silk, which is spun by the delicate silkworm. This worm is an underdeveloped moth which will soon mature after metamorphosis. Ages ago, royalty and the rich and famous prefer nothing but luxurious silk made by silkworms.

Back when the Chinese made silk using silkworms, trade of this exceptional product has connected the country to different countries through the Silk Road.

Insects May Be Consumed As Food

Helpful insects are a blessing to farmers and growers all around the world. But do you know that insects are delicacies in some countries? In some Asian countries, insects such as beetles, roaches, grasshoppers, and crickets are consumed as food. Don’t worry because these are not your average insects found at home or in your garden. These insects are carefully bred and sold as food items.

But why do people eat insects when they have other types of food instead? Insects are numerous and thus are easy to cultivate. These are excellent sources of protein, minerals, and vitamins. Locals prepare insects by deep-frying, sautéing, baking, smoking and as candies.

Insects Used As Medicine

Many patients have benefited from maggot therapy, a unique way to treat wounds and stop the spread of gangrene. This is a skin condition that is due to infected dead tissue on the skin. Maggots don’t eat or harm healthy tissues but are attracted to dead skin only.

When maggots are placed on dead skin, these will clean the wound and prevent skin infections. Larvae will move in and around the surface, making it a possible treatment for burn patients. Maggot therapy was popular during the dark ages in Europe, but now, only a few doctors use this treatment.

Some insects are used to make medicines or products used as alternative relief. Honeybees make honey and wax which are used in producing all kinds of medications, sweeteners, and natural therapies.

More Studies Ongoing About Insects

These different ways insects help people is just the tip of the iceberg. Every day, scientists are doing their best to understand insects better. It’s through careful study that we now know so much about social insects. We now understand how insects reproduce and how to take care of their natural habitat.

And as much as we know how insects influence our environment, we must also do all we can to preserve them. Cultivate flowering plants in your garden to attract bees. Make pest control eco-friendly by using gentle yet tough natural techniques, never resort to pesticides or herbicides can do more harm than good to humans and other plants and animals.  Cockroach control with non-toxic killer products are tough on roaches and different pests but gentle on other insects, animals, and humans. In conclusion, we must preserve the bugs as bugs help the planet in more ways than we can think of.