Blowdown, Animal Colonizers, Insects and Spiders Blowdown, Insects and Spiders Millions of insects and spiders fly and float into the blowdown zone every year. Few find enough food to live. They either fly away, are eaten or die. The most successful early colonizers were scavengers and hunters that preyed on other insects. Plants are an important source of food and shelter for insects in the blast zone.
Aphids feed on fireweed and the ladybird beetle feeds on the aphids.
This helps to control the number of aphids, and also protects the fireweed. The success or failure of these natural checks and balances influences the return of plant life after a disturbance.