Insects Lend a Helping Hand

10 Insects Lend a Helping Hand Spiders, ants, flies, bees and grasshoppers-these are just a few of the creatures in the insect world. Most of us avoid them when we can, but it's not easy to do. You find them everywhere. Insects are earth's most successful animals. Nearly 75 percent of all animals are insects. Many people think insects are scary. Long, thin legs and big, round eyes. Stingers that can really sting and bites that really hurt. Millions of dollars are spent every year in attempts to destroy them. To many people, they're a nuisance-something to get rid of. They're different from us, so it's easy to see why many people fear them. However, these little animals have some amazing abilities. Scratch the surface, and you will understand how special insects really are. Did you know, for example, that the silk spun by a spider is twice as strong as steel? On a weight-for-weight basis, spider silk is a tough material. One pound of spider web is two times stronger than one pound of steel. Imagine what we could do if we could figure out a way to make spider webs!

Insects are natural recyclers, too. When living matter dies, insects have a major role in helping to break down this material and return it to the soil. Without insects, that dead material would take a long time to decompose. Insects speed up the process, turning garbage into useful nutrition for the soil. Insects contribute to our food supply too. It's hard to imagine growing enough food to feed us all in a world without insects. They help plants reproduce by moving pollen from flower to flower. In medical labs, insects are helping us unlock the mysteries of genetics. Scientists study them because they have a short lifespan. Many generations can be studied in a short time. Insects truly are our friends and allies. A world without insects would look a whole lot different. Think about that the next time you see a bee buzzing quietly over a garden.