Can insects harm you?

Fewer than 10 percent of all insects bite or sting humans. Yet insects can—and do—cause  enormous suffering. They can carry germs that cause yellow fever, cholera, typhus, and many other diseases. For example, every 10 seconds a person dies of malaria, a disease carried by certain mosquitoes. It is said that one-half of all human deaths throughout history were caused by mosquitoes. Insects can be big pests. They eat about 10 percent of all food and fiber crops. They also harm cattle and sheep by spreading disease among them. Farmers spend about $7 billion a year to control pesky insects.