Some people are fascinated by bugs while others fear them. I think we can all agree that we’d prefer to have less mosquitoes and more butterflies, but not many people see the value of having spiders living in their attic. From my research, I’ve found 3 main ways that insects can benefit humans: pollination, pest control, and composting. They are also an important part of the food chain and some insects are even eaten by humans. The order of importance of these insects is subjective and I may have completely missed some aspect of insects that makes them even more useful to us. So please, if you know another insect that would be beneficial to have in our gardens and homes, comment below so that I can learn more too!
10. Springtails
Springtails are the first of many detritivores on this list. A detritivore is an animal that consumes non-living plant and animal remains and turns the organic waste into nutrient rich soil. They are important for cycling nutrients through the soil and keeping plants healthy. Since they turn organic matter into inorganic soil, they are the final part of the food chain.
Springtails use their tails to fling themselves forward several feet and keep it folded under their bodies when it isn’t in use. They can be found living in the soil in your garden or even in your houseplant’s pot. They don’t eat live roots though and they don’t bite or sting humans so there is no reason to get rid of them.
9. Dungflies
Dungflies are another detritivore who’s larval diet consists of – you guessed it – dung. The adults prey on other insects that hang around dung pats. Manure is rich with nutrients and dungflies help distribute it into the soil. Adult males’ lives involve sitting on dung pats and trying to attract females. When they mate, the female lays her eggs on a hill on the dung pat and when the larvae hatch they burrow into the mound of nutritious manure. Most dungflies prefer manure from large mammals so any farm with livestock, forest with deer and other mammals or even dog parks will have lots of them to help compost the droppings.
8. Spiders
Spiders seem to get a bad reputation from us and are generally seen as pests. Spiders are in fact responsible for pest control in the garden and even in our homes. Most attics and basements are home to common house spiders who feast on fruit flies, mosquitoes and other bugs we don’t want in our homes.
Like most insects, spiders are unlikely to bite you unless they feel threatened by you. Most common spiders are harmless to humans but beware because even in Ontario there are a few dangerous species of spider. Here’s a couple spiders that probably wouldn’t fall into the “beneficial” category to have hanging around:
Black Widow
The black widow spider is considered the most venemous spider in North America. Their bite can be deadly for the sick, the young, or the elderly, but the mortality rate of black widow bites is still less than 1%. The bite of a female black widow is 15 times as venemous as a prairie rattlesnake. They are not only dangerous for us but for their mates too. After mating, the males are eaten by the females (hence the name black widow). They are easily recognizable by their jet black color and red hourglass marking on their abdomen.
Brown Recluse
Brown recluse spider venom is “necrotic” meaning it laves small patches of dead cells that cause a painful wound for a few weeks. They usually heal but can sometimes spread and even cause fatalities. However, they are shy and live in places they are unlikely to be disturbed. They’d usually rather avoid conflict but will bite you if they feel trapped or cornered.
7. Green Lacewings
Green lacewings are sometimes known as “aphid lions” for their aphid rich diets. Aphids are small sap-sucking insects that feed on soft stems, branches, buds, and fruit. While aphids are an important part of the ecosystem, if their colonies get out of control they can destroy crop fields, gardens, and trees alike. Green lacewings are a good way to keep aphid populations in check. They are widely used for pest control and are a native species in Canada.
6. Dragonflies
Dragonflies are unmistakable thanks to their large eyes, their double set of translucent wings, and their elongated bodies. They eat all kinds of insects and are the biggest insect predator of mosquitoes. They eat their own weight in mosquitoes, moths, and midges, every single day. Dragonflies breed in water so if you want to attract them to your yard, build a pond at least 2 feet deep. Adding a water source to your landscape is good for attracting all kinds of wildlife and creating a biologically diverse ecosystem.
5. Moths
Moths are the first big pollinators on this list. Most moths have long tongues for sucking nectar out of flowers. When they land on the flowers, their hairy body picks up pollen to bring to the next flower they snack on. Some species like the adult Luna moth do not have tongues for sucking nectar. In fact, they don’t even have mouths! After emerging from their cocoons, they live for a week and their sole purpose is to mate and lay eggs.
Moths are also an important source of food for many birds and bats and are even eaten by humans in some parts of the world. 100g of moth or butterfly caterpillars provides more than 100% of the daily requirements of calcium, potassium, zinc, and iron.
4. Butterflies
Like moths, butterflies are great pollinators and a food source for predators. They have been used for centuries for research on biological processes like metamorphosis and are important educational tools for teaching people about animals and the environment. Many people think butterflies are exceptionally beautiful and they are highly valued by some gardeners who plant flowers exclusively for the purpose of attracting butterflies. They are often used as a symbol of positive change, beauty, and environmentalism.
3. Ladybugs
Ladybugs (also known as ladybird beetles or lady beetles) are popular insects for gardeners and farmers alike for their appetite. They love to eat aphids and other plant-consuming insects and therefore are natural guardians for your crops. Ladybugs tend to lay their eggs in the middle of aphid colonies so that when the larvae hatch, they can start feasting on aphids immediately. You can get ladybugs at your local garden center or you can go hunting for them in your local forests and meadows to bring back to your garden.
2. Bees
Bumble bees and other bee species are known to be some of the best pollinators and most of the crops we eat rely on bee populations. No bees means no food.
It would also mean no honey! Honey is an antioxidant and has other nutrients and health benefits for both bees and humans (though it’s still full of sugar so eat it in moderation). However, the demand for honey far outweighs the supply which leads to all kinds of harmful practices due to factory farming. Honey is sometimes replaced with sugar water or high fructose corn syrup which lack vital nutrients. Bees are overworked and underfed. They are loaded on trucks and sent to work on monoculture farms which lack the diversity needed for their diet and put pesticides into our honey. Worst of all, many commercial honey farmers will artificially inseminate the queen and clip her wings to stop her from starting a new colony. When looking for more ethical honey, talk to local farmers about their practices. Honey that is labeled as raw, unfiltered, organic, or biodynamic is not necessarily ethical but the farmers who value these qualities might care a little more about their bees and other livestock.
To attract more bees to your garden or farm, plant lots of native flowers that bloom in each season. For example you could have wild lilac for the spring, echinacea for the summer and asters for the fall.
Honorable Mentions
Wasps are some of the best pollinators but many humans are allergic to their stings. Wasps are actually unlikely to sting you unless you disturb them. Unlike bees however, they can sting you multiple times and will often chase you down especially if you destroy their nest.
Praying mantises can be good for pest control in wooded areas but keep them away from heavily pollinated gardens with lots of flowers because they will eat bees, butterflies, beetles, crickets, and even hummingbirds.
Millipedes are important detritivores but they secrete toxins that can be harmful to humans if touched especially if you rub your eyes with it.
Wood lice are important for decomposing branches and logs but also have an appetite for all things wood like furniture or buildings.
But the best organic matter eating, nutrient-rich soil producing detritivore of all is the earthworm.
1. Earthworms
Earthworms aren’t even technically insects but they are the most important composter on this list. If you ask anyone who grows any kind of crop, they will tell you that good soil is a big factor in the quality and yield sizes of their harvests. Vermicompost is one of the best ways to enrich your soil with nutrients and beneficial micro-organisms. Worm castings are rich in humic acids which help balance the soil’s pH. Plus, the worms burrow in the soil improving aeration and water absorption.
If you have worms in your compost pile, your garden, or your crop fields, you’re laughing! But be careful because most common earthworm species have been brought over by colonizers to help with farming and are not suitable for many shrubs, trees, and woody plants.
All earthworms breathe through their skin and some can grow up to 10 feet long! You won’t find these in your backyard in Canada but they have been spotted in Washington and Idaho as well as many tropical locations.
