Insects: Friends of Man & Environment
Insects play I vital role in maintaining the quality of life in the biosphere. The diversity of insects plays a crucial role in maintaining the quality of ecosystem.
Insects belong to the phylum Arthoropoda (Arthoropoda = Joint legged). The described insect species are coming under 30 orders; they are one of the most diverse groups of animals. No other group of animal is adapted to live in so diverse a habitat as the insects. The live in all corners of the earth from the poles to the equator, in soil, in fresh water, in hot springs, on all sorts of plants and animals (dead or alive)
From the very childhood we tend to look upon these creatures as the most disgusting things on the earth because of their damaging activities to crops and other human welfare, but this is not always true, this does not diminish their beneficial roles in any way, some of the beneficial roles as below:-
Honey and bee was: Honey has been used by man for various purpose from ancient days. Its is used as food, medicine and preservative.
Silk: Extraction of silk was a contribution of Chinese civilization. Silk has been used as thread, fabric, etc for hundreds of years.
Lac: Lac is the resinous substance by a scale insect popularly known as the lac insect.
Dyes: Dyes are used to colour textiles, paper, leather etc. Dried bodies of certain scale insects yield dyes like tannin, cochineal and crimson colour dyestuff.
Insect biodiversity: The more diverse the animal community in an ecosystem. It is more stable. Species diversity among insects is amazing which varies from microscopic forms to large form and from wingless to winged ones. Many insects are awaiting discovery especially in the tropical rain forests of Asian country, Africa and American continents. The diversity of insects plays a crucial role in maintaining the quality of ecosystems. Species diversity is also a source of genetics diversity, the future use of which to the mankind is even beyond prediction. Insect genetic resources may especially help in agricultural and medical researches. Many insects act as control agent in plant population dynamics, other help in pollination, seed dispersal etc. Actually insect diversity is an indication of plant diversity and vice-versa, some of the insects being highly specific to certain kinds of plants.
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