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July 2011

10 Bad Bugs -- Economic Impact of Insects

Kira Metz, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org

Bugs surround us. Of the 1 million or so that entomologists have identified so far, many are our friends, such as the bees that fertilize apple, cherry, avocado and many other crops, enabling them to bear fruit. Butterflies add color to our backyards, and fireflies twinkle in the summer dusk.

But a lot of bugs aren’t so nice. Many cause a great deal of damage -- whether in human and animal health or in economic losses to farmers, foresters, homeowners and others. We've identified 10 particularly bad actors that are wreaking havoc as we speak, maybe even on your neck. Quick!

Which bugs do you hate the most? Tell us about them, and why, in the comment section below.

By Ed Maixner, Editor, The Kiplinger Agriculture Letter
By Neema P. Roshania, Researcher-Reporter, the Kiplinger Letters



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