Importance of insect

INTRODUCTION:

The word Insect is derived from the Latin word ‘Insectum’ which  means ‘to cut into’. The body of insects are segmented which seems like the body cut into different parts. Generally the body of insect is divided into 3 parts: head, thorax and abdomen; having 3 pairs of legs and usually 2 pairs of wings. And the study of insects is called entomology. Insects can be found in every environment on our planet. But  the majority of insects are found in the warm and moist tropics. Insects have adapted to a broad range of habitats, successfully finding their own niche, because they will consume almost any substance that h as nutritional value.

OBJECTIVES:

1.  To be able to know the insects, entomology, characteristics of insects;
2.  To know the importance of insects in human welfare;
3.  To be able to differentiate the insects i.e. Beneficial and Harmful insects.

IMPORTANCE OF INSECTS:

When many people think of insects, they think of things that bite, sting, eat their flowers, or get in their food and they would just as soon kill everyone that they see. Many insects though, do a lot of good for people and this includes some insects that you may not expect to be good for anything.

Insects perform a vast number of important functions in our ecosystem. They aerate the soil, pollinate blossoms, and control insect and plant pests; they also decompose dead materials, thereby reintroducing nutrients into the soil. Burrowing bugs such as ants and beetles dig tunnels that provide channels for water, benefiting plants. Bees play a major role in pollinating fruit trees and flower blossoms. Gardeners love the big-eyed bug and praying mantis because they control the size of certain insect populations, such as aphids and caterpillars, which feed on new plant growth. Finally, all insects fertilize the soil with the nutrients from their droppings.

INSECTS AS POLLINATORS:

A number of insects, including different types of bees, butterflies, wasps, and some ants, are responsible for pollinating plants around the world. They transport pollen from the male stamen of a flower to the female pistil of another flower on the same plant or another within the same species, allowing for the combination of genes, fertilization, and sexual reproduction. some plants, including at least one- third  of the world’s agricultural crops, and an estimated 90% of all flowering species, are reliant on pollinators. It is a mutually beneficial relationship that ensures the survival of both plants and insects. Plants rely on pollinators to ensure reproduction, fruit set, and seed dispersal. Pollinator insects rely on plants for food and habitat. Without insects people who grow and sell fruit (everything from apples, to tomatoes) would have to find some way to spread the pollen themselves. Obviously, this would be very difficult and time consuming if they have thousands of plants. It is hard to estimate, but the economic value of this role alone is probably in the billions of dollars.

INSECTS AS PREDATORS:

Predatory, or insectivorous insects, eat other insects: pests that would otherwise feed on important crops and plants. Lacewings feed on the eggs and juvenile stages of a number of agricultural pests, such as some types of thrips, mites, whiteflies, melaybugs and the caterpillars and eggs of numerous pest moths. Ladybirds feed on aphids, melaybugs, spider mites and the eggs of some beetle and borer agricultural pests.

INSECTS AS PARASITOIDS:

Parasitoids live out most of their lifespan “attached” in some ways to another insect or being, and ultimately kill their host. The Braconidae family, made up of over 1000 species of tiny wasps, represents only one of the many examples: these wasps feed on, reproduce in, and eventually kill some very harmful caterpillar pests that damage agricultural crops, such as hornworms. The female braconid wasp lays her egg just under a hornworm’s skin, rendering it unable to continue feeding and damaging crops. After the wasp lays eggs hatch, the juveniles are ready to become adults, they will chew their way out of the hornworm and spin cocoons that protrude from its body. Once the adult wasps emerge from their cocoons, the hornworm perishes.

INSECTS AS INDUSTRIAL IMPORTANCE:

1.    HONEY BEE:

Honey bees are very much beneficial for mankind due to its production of nutritious honey and bee wax. Honey is very protenacious and also medicinally important and bee wax is also industrially important such as making candles etc. Bees are very important pollinators. Bees also teach us the lesson of laborious, co-operation and friendship.

2.    SILK WORMS:

Silk worm are highly important insects for human being as it produces silk which is used for making highly valuable silken cloths. The pupa of silk worm contains fat which is used in soap industries.

3.    LAC INSECTS:

Lac insects produce lac from their bodies which is beneficial for mankind. At the previous time, lac was used to make bangles. Now-a-days, lac is used to close the important official documents inside and dropping lac flame at the opening mouth of envelop and cloth bags.

INSECTS AS SCAVENGER:

Some insect’s acts as scavenger and feed upon decaying flesh and discarded materials. In this way, insects help us to clean our environment. Examples- Beetles flies.

INSECTS FEEDING ON WEEDS:

Harmful weeds like “kala jwar” which is found in east Nepal is controlled by a kind of fly cecidochares utilis. It lays eggs on the tender leaves and stem, produce larva on hatching. When larva produced, they destroy all weeds by consuming them.

INSECT AS ANIMAL FEED:

The insects and their larvae are used as food by man in different parts of the world. The larvae of bees, locusts etc. are used by man for eating. Insects are mostly used in animal feed like in fish meal, poultry meal. Insects are good source of animal protein and fat.

GALL MAKER INSECTS:

Some insects form gall in plants from which tonic acid is produced and used intensively in tanning. From galls, different types of dyes are also made.

USED IN SCIENTIFIC STUDY:

Many insects are used in scientific study in laboratory. Drosophila melanogaster is used in studying hereditary characters because of its short life span and easy to handle.  

INSECTS FOR BEAUTIFICATION AND ENTERTAINMENT:

Some insects produce sweet sound by which man can get entertainment. Butterflies, Beetles are used for decorating rooms. Artists take advantage of the insects by copying their structure and beautiful colors.

CONCLUSION:

We tend to think of “insects” and “bugs” synonymously with words like “harmful” and “pests”. However, only a very small fraction of the world’s insect population cause damage to the crops or harm humans. There are far more insects that can help in some way. Farmers can use techniques to attract beneficial insects to assists with pest management and pollination-and benefit enormously.

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