TlIK INSKCT 1M;(H'.IJ-:.M 1(» 



list of iin[)()rtant products. Many insects arc ol" great value to 

 niau indirectly, because they destroy other hisects. The ui-j-cat- 

 est service, however, which they perform in nature consists in 

 effecting cross-pollination of flowers, and many of <»ur most 

 valual)le fruits and flowers would be infertile without tlieir 

 aid. Fortunately the honeybee is the most valuable insect for 

 this work. 



In contrast to the value of tliese few insects, however, is 

 the great injury done by others hi their attacks ui)on man and 

 animals, causing annoyance, suffering, and often disease. 'J'he 

 majority feed upon plants and thus compete witli man, directly 

 or indirectly, for the vegetable food supply of the world, lie- 

 cent estimates of the Department of Agriculture divide this 

 damage as follows : 



Annual Loss of Agricultural Products causkd in Insects 



IN United States 



Cereals $-2:{7,S00,()n0 



Ilay r,(i,()U0,0(M) 



Cotton (J 7,500,000 



Tobacco (),900,OO() 



Truck crops (JS,000,000 



Sugars (1,400,000 



Fruits ()(),000,000 



Farm — Forests 15,000,000 



Miscellaneous crops 18,000,000 



Animal products '2(>7,O00,0O0 



Natural forest products l:iO,000,000 



Products in storage 100,000.000 



Total $1,OU>,50(),000 



These estimates are conservative and relate to purely agri- 

 cultural losses. They (h) not include the damage caused by 

 common household msects, — clothes moths, carpet beetles, 

 roaches, ants, and several human parasites, which entail great 

 labor and expense in lighting them. Tlie annual cost of wire 



