We have all been told about how important insects are to the environment, and I am sure that you can think of a few good reasons as to why human life would end if it were not for our insect friends. Insects pollinate small plants and crops; they help rid the world of waste by feeding on it, especially animal waste. But did you also know that the United States would be in even larger debt if it were not for bugs? Yes, that is correct, insects save the United States government fifty seven billion dollars per year. But not all of the benefits of insects can be counted in cold hard cash. Ecosystems have a better chance of remaining stable as long as there remains an abundance of biodiversity within a particular ecosystem. So having a variety of insects within your environment may mean that you see a lot of different bugs around your house, but it also means that if one part of an ecosystem fails, there will be more organisms to pick up the slack. Insects have probably been responsible for saving entire ecosystems in the past. How has an insect benefited you during your lifetime? If your answer is, "I found one to feed to my snake", then does that not count?