A pest is any organism that spreads disease, causes destruction or is otherwise a nuisance. Some examples of pests are mosquitoes, rodents, and weeds. Not all insects are pests. Many different kinds of insects eat other insects and are beneficial species. Examples of beneficial insects are dragonflies (which feed mainly on mosquitoes) and lady beetles (which eat aphids, scale insects, mites, and other insects). There are over a million different species of insects known to scientists. About 2,000 new species of insects are discovered each year!
