Beneficial Insects

Abstract

The useful aspects of insects as defined by humans fall mostly into two categories: direct and indirect. Direct beneficiality is less important in these modern times, and it applies when the insect itself is directly utilized. During the early evolution of humanity, particularly at the hunter-gatherer stage, insects must have been a major food item, but with the development of agriculture their importance in the human diet lessened. Insect products such as honey, wax and silk are widely used but of limited economic importance, as also is the now widespread farming (rearing) of various insect species. The most important beneficial aspects of insects are indirect—which is largely why they are relatively unobtrusive and seldom fully appreciated.