Insects

The great majority of animal species in Algonquin Provincial Park are insects. Although we can't say exactly how many insect species live here, a recent survey of a patch of forest along an Algonquin lake turned up about 700 species of terrestrial flies alone! Extrapolating partly from that survey, we can estimate that Algonquin supports at least 7,000 species of insects, compared to fewer than 300 species of birds and mammals.

Insects not only make up the bulk of our wildlife diversity, they also play major roles in all Algonquin ecosystems. Many plants would disappear without insect pollinators, and entire ecosystems would collapse in the absence of insects in the food chain. Apart from being extremely important to the ecology of Algonquin, insects are fascinating animals in their own right. Insects feed, mate, and grow in many interesting and sometimes very bizarre ways.

• The Insects of Algonquin Provincial Park
• Dragonflies and Damselflies of Algonquin Provincial Park and the Surrounding Area
• Checklist of the Butterflies of Algonquin Provincial Park
• Biting Insects: Mosquitoes and Blackflies
• Group Education Program
• Summer Interpretive Program