Insects make up more than three quarters of all known living animal species and there are more than 20,000 species in the British Isles alone. Despite their apparent strangeness, most are harmless and many do us a great service by pollinating crops and devouring pests. Many are very attractive in their own right.

Spiders are not insects but are often classed with them under the general term "creepy crawlies" :-).