Insects and their relatives comprise more than three-fourths of the species in the animal kingdom. They affect the lives of everyone and are our greatest competitors for food.
Insects are responsible for the spread of many diseases of humans, animals, and plants.
However, most insects and their relatives are either beneficial or are not harmful to plants, animals, or humans. These include pollinators as well as predators of harmful insects. Many insects are used in physiological , ecological, medical, veterinary, biodiversity, and genetic research. Insects and their relatives are very important in forest, range, crop, and aquatic ecological processes.