by Joao Paulo Narita

Created on: February 06, 2009   Last Updated: May 20, 2010

Insects are the biggest animal group of the world, with about one million species. Some people when hear or see some insect on a plant, immediately think that the little animal will prejudice the plant. However, only some insects can cause large loss, because many insects are not pests, and many of them are very useful to the plants in a garden, in agriculture and to the nature.

First, to an organism be classified as a pest, it must provoke serious damages to the plant culture, generally, economic damages, and it occurrence is regularly in large quantity. So, imagine only one phytophagus bug on a leaf; the damage caused by this creature is disposable, then it is not a pest.

There are many useful insects as the bees. The bees are responsible by the pollination of the flowers. Due to their large quantity of species, and a good occurrence around the world, the bees are considered the main pollinator agent.

Also butterflies, flies, wasps and beetles can pollinate the flowers. So, these insects are very important to the plant propagation. The pollination by insects helps a lot the plants reproduction. Then, it is possible new hereditary combinations, and more fruits are produced.

Another importance of the insects is that some of them are excellent pests' predators. The most famous insect predator is the ladybug. This insect is a kind of beetle, which can be of various colors. It is well-known to devour small animals, including many pests. Some of the main pests this small beetle can eat are cochineals and plant louse, which are pests that commonly show up attacking the plants of a garden and of cultivated fields. The ladybug is an efficient predator, which the people should be glad when it appears, as well as the pollinators agents.

About others insects with predator behavior, not much common there is the green lacewing. This insect belongs to a family named Chrysopidae, which is a little family in the insects group. These insects have big eyes, green body with a nervation in the wings, and eat cochineals, plant louse, and some caterpillars. As well there is the praying mantis, which can eat cochineals and flies.

In addition, getting out the aerial part of the plants, there are a large variety of animals in the soil. Many of these are not insects, but they are called insects due to how they look. Earthworms and centipedes can occur. The latter usually eat organic matter, do not causing damages. The earthworms can recycle the organic matter, so, enriching the soil. Then, the presence of all these little animals in a garden or in the agriculture is very beneficial, supporting at the defense and plant nutrition.

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