The document discusses the distribution, characteristics, uses, and nutritional value of insects. It notes that insects can be found in air, on land, in soil, and in freshwater. They have three body regions and respiratory systems. Insects are used as human and animal food, for pollination, to produce silk, as natural and biological pest controls, and to create useful products like honey, beeswax, dyes, and medicines. Some cultures eat ants, bees, butterflies, grasshoppers, and wasps. Insects provide high amounts of protein, iron, vitamins, and minerals compared to other foods.

1. BY
Dr. Narendra A. Manwar
Dept. of Zoology
Mahatma Phule Arts and Science College, Patur

3. 3
Distribution of Insects
• Air
• land
• In the soil
• Parasites
– Plants
– Animals
• Freshwater
• Not marine???

4. 4
Characteristics of Insects
• Three body regions
– Head
– Thorax
– Abdomen
• Three pair of legs
• Open circulatory
system

5. 5
Characteristics (cont)
• Two pair of wings
– One pair in flies
– Absent in some
• Pair of compound
eyes
• Spiracles for
respiration

7.  FOOD FOR HUMANS AND ANIMALS
 POLLINATION
 SILK
 NATURAL CONTROL
 BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
 AESTHETICS
 PRODUCTS
 WEED CONTROL
 DECOMPOSERS
 RECYCLERS

9.  In many countries insects are used as a source
of nutrition.
 Many insects are high in protein and can
made into several dishes.
 Look inside to “What Are People Eating”?

10.  Ants are eaten by many
of the tribes in the
Amazon.
 They provide protein,
thiamine, and
riboflavin.
 Ant eggs are commonly
found in the Mexico
market.
 Honey pot ants are
served for desert.
 Leaf Cutter ants are
served toasted in movie
theatres in Columbia

11.  Bees are consumed by
American Indians.
 German children
enjoy the taste of
honeybees.
 Commonly consumed
as a bee brood.
 Becomes like cereal.
 Compare with
sunflower seeds.
 Chocolate covered
bees are a gourmet
item in Mexico.
 These item are also
canned for export.

12.  Many adult butterflies
and moths can be
eaten toasted or in
butter.
 They are most eaten
in caterpillar stage.

13.  Most commonly
consumed insect.
 Sold as a novelty dish
in the U.S.
 They can be roasted
or grounded into
meat.
 They are also eaten as
mush or baked in dry
cakes.
 Native Americans dry
and salt them.
 If dried they are an
excellent source of
protein.

14.  Wasps have the
highest protein
content.
 Widely consumed in
Mexico.
 Many in Thailand and
Laos eat the insect
larva.
 Fried wasps, mixed
with boiled rice,
sugar, and soy sauce
was a favorite dish of
Japan Emperor
Hirohito.

16.  Useful products insects create for us are tannic
acids.
 Which has been used in tanning hides to make
leather.

17.  The earliest sweetener dates back to honey
which came from the honeybee.
 Beeswax was the earliest form of wax and is
still used by artist's today.
 In the past we have used more than 200 million
pounds of honey and three million pounds of
bees wax.

18.  Some insect galls have been used to make inks.
 Scale insects have been the source of red dyes,
food coloring, and cosmetics.
 About 9 million dollars worth of shellac, which
is made from scale insects.

19.  Substances from some insects have been used in
medicines.
 Blow fly larvae has been used to treat battle
wounds.
 Blow fly larvae also is used as treatment for
bone infections.
 These larvae feed on dead tissue and secrete a
substance known as allantoin which is known to
help tissue heal.

20.  Silk is also used everyday in different things.
 Silk comes from the cocoons of the silkworm in
Asia.
 Each cocoon has a single thread that is
unraveled until it is more than a half mile long.
 About 3,000 cocoons are required to make one
pound of silk.
 About 70 million pounds of silk are produced
every year.

21. 0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Small Grasshopper
Large Grasshopper
Caterpillar
Water Beetle
Beef
Fish

22. Insects Energy Iron Thai-
mine
Ribo-
flavin
Niacin
Termite 613 0.75 0.13 1.15 0.95
Cater-
pillar
370 35.5 3.67 1.91 5.2
Weevil 562 13.1 3.02 2.24 7.8
Beef 219 3.5 0.09 2.3 6.0
Fish 170 1.0 0.08 1.1 3.0

24. 24
Distribution of Insects
• Air
• land
• In the soil
• Parasites
– Plants
– Animals
• Freshwater
• Not marine???

25. 25
Characteristics of Insects
• Three body regions
– Head
– Thorax
– Abdomen
• Three pair of legs
• Open circulatory
system

26. 26
Characteristics (cont)
• Two pair of wings
– One pair in flies
– Absent in some
• Pair of compound
eyes
• Spiracles for
respiration

28.  FOOD FOR HUMANS AND ANIMALS
 POLLINATION
 SILK
 NATURAL CONTROL
 BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
 AESTHETICS
 PRODUCTS
 WEED CONTROL
 DECOMPOSERS
 RECYCLERS

30.  In many countries insects are used as a source
of nutrition.
 Many insects are high in protein and can
made into several dishes.
 Look inside to “What Are People Eating”?

31.  Ants are eaten by many
of the tribes in the
Amazon.
 They provide protein,
thiamine, and
riboflavin.
 Ant eggs are commonly
found in the Mexico
market.
 Honey pot ants are
served for desert.
 Leaf Cutter ants are
served toasted in movie
theatres in Columbia

32.  Bees are consumed by
American Indians.
 German children
enjoy the taste of
honeybees.
 Commonly consumed
as a bee brood.
 Becomes like cereal.
 Compare with
sunflower seeds.
 Chocolate covered
bees are a gourmet
item in Mexico.
 These item are also
canned for export.

33.  Many adult butterflies
and moths can be
eaten toasted or in
butter.
 They are most eaten
in caterpillar stage.

34.  Most commonly
consumed insect.
 Sold as a novelty dish
in the U.S.
 They can be roasted
or grounded into
meat.
 They are also eaten as
mush or baked in dry
cakes.
 Native Americans dry
and salt them.
 If dried they are an
excellent source of
protein.

35.  Wasps have the
highest protein
content.
 Widely consumed in
Mexico.
 Many in Thailand and
Laos eat the insect
larva.
 Fried wasps, mixed
with boiled rice,
sugar, and soy sauce
was a favorite dish of
Japan Emperor
Hirohito.

37.  Useful products insects create for us are tannic
acids.
 Which has been used in tanning hides to make
leather.

38.  The earliest sweetener dates back to honey
which came from the honeybee.
 Beeswax was the earliest form of wax and is
still used by artist's today.
 In the past we have used more than 200 million
pounds of honey and three million pounds of
bees wax.

39.  Some insect galls have been used to make inks.
 Scale insects have been the source of red dyes,
food coloring, and cosmetics.
 About 9 million dollars worth of shellac, which
is made from scale insects.

40.  Substances from some insects have been used in
medicines.
 Blow fly larvae has been used to treat battle
wounds.
 Blow fly larvae also is used as treatment for
bone infections.
 These larvae feed on dead tissue and secrete a
substance known as allantoin which is known to
help tissue heal.

41.  Silk is also used everyday in different things.
 Silk comes from the cocoons of the silkworm in
Asia.
 Each cocoon has a single thread that is
unraveled until it is more than a half mile long.
 About 3,000 cocoons are required to make one
pound of silk.
 About 70 million pounds of silk are produced
every year.

42. 0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Small Grasshopper
Large Grasshopper
Caterpillar
Water Beetle
Beef
Fish

43. Insects Energy Iron Thai-
mine
Ribo-
flavin
Niacin
Termite 613 0.75 0.13 1.15 0.95
Cater-
pillar
370 35.5 3.67 1.91 5.2
Weevil 562 13.1 3.02 2.24 7.8
Beef 219 3.5 0.09 2.3 6.0
Fish 170 1.0 0.08 1.1 3.0