Some common edible invertebrates are arthropods such as shrimps, prawns, crabs, crayfishes and lobsters, and molluscs such as scallops, clams, squids and octopuses. Some invertebrates that you might not have considered for your menu include snails, beetles, grasshoppers, worms and grubs. Many invertebrates have evolved effective defenses, making them dangerous. Scorpions, cones and some jellyfishes can deliver a severe sting, while some spiders and even octopuses can bite, if harassed. Mosquitoes and certain snails may carry parasites causing malaria, sleeping sickness, schistosomiasis and hookworm disease.
Invertebrates provide a tasty food source, pollinate plants, and control pest species.
Butterflies and many other invertebrates are beautiful to watch. Without certain invertebrates, dead and decaying material would not break down and be recycled through the food web. Worms and other invertebrates churn through soil which would become compacted and incapable of supporting life without them. Invertebrates supply us with such ornaments as pearls and shells. During millions of years the sedimented bodies of dead invertebrates have become the oil deposits that we depend on today for petroleum-fueled energy.