Ecology and Vulnerability

Insects

Insects are a very common and diverse species group ^1,3. They are arthropods, which means they have special jointed legs ³. They are also invertebrates, so they do not have a backbone, and are cold-blooded, so they require external heat ¹. Many pollinators are insects ². Insects face many threats, including habitat loss, disease, parasites, and pollution ^1,2. A number of insects and other invertebrates are on the Endangered Species List but because most insects are small and hard to identify and because of a general social view of insects as pests, little is known about most of this group ¹.