back     next Insects and Biodiversity What are insects? Sheer numbers Evolution and the Origin of Insect Diversity Flowering Plants Insects and People Beneficial insects Insects as pests Insect Characteristics Anatomy Senses Metamorphosis Physiology

INSECTS AND PEOPLE PEST INSECTS Bitten Insects can also be pests; especially biting flies; black flies, mosquitoes, fleas and horse flies. Insects threaten crops, livestock, timber supply and ornamental plants. They can cause billions of dollars of damage to crops both before and after the harvest. Certain diseases, including malaria, typhoid fever, cholera, Bubonic plague and African sleeping sickness, are spread by insects and affect domesticated plants, animals and also humans. The number of pest species however, is only a small fraction of the total number of species. Back to top