In this section we take great pleasure in introducing you to the weird and wonderful world of bugs. We will try to answer questions such as what is an invertebrate, where do different invertebrates live and fact sheets on some of the most popular bugs. If you already know which bug you want to learn about, go straight to the All about Bugs section. We also open up the wonderful world of spiders to you in our new Love Spiders section!
 Dragisa Savic large.bmp) |
| Erythromma Viridulum © Dragisa Savic |
This section also contains
activities for young 'bug buddies', the
Life in the Undergrowth learning zone, plus advice on
how to start studying bugs.
We hope that you will find everything you want to know (but were afraid to ask) about bugs. Happy hunting!
The small things that make the world go round
Bugs. Not everybody loves them, we admit. But before you reach for the slug pellets or the fly swatter, here are a few facts that might make you change your mind:
- One in three mouthfuls of our food depends upon insect pollination (strawberries, apples)
- Honey, chocolate, coffee, silk - just some of the luxuries that wouldn't exist without invertebrates
- Ninety percent of wildflowers could be threatened with extinction if there were not invertebrates to pollinate them
- We eat 20 million tonnes of bugs every year (such as lobsters and prawns)
- Bugs are a vital food source for wild animals and birds - our countryside would be an empty, silent place without them
So it's no exaggeration to say that they make the world go round. They do.
