Not many people love insects, but those creepy, crawly, ugly, big-eyed bugs are actually helping keep food on the table.

The seventh annual Day of Insects took place at Reiman Gardens on Saturday. The event was attended by 110 entomologists, naturists and insect enthusiasts from around the country.

“It’s unusual for a local entomology event to get this much attendance,” said Kyle Johnson. “They usually average no more than 30 people.”

The day was all about education, filled with presentations from both expert and amateur insect admirers. While most people spent their allotted 20 minutes discussing research they had been working on, some spent their time advocating for wildlife conservation.

“We love when people are deeply connected to our mission,” said Ed Lyon, director of Reiman Gardens.

To get people interested in the conservation discussion, Beth Waage, conservationist for Polk County Conservation, asked people to imagine a world without insects. In this imagined world it is the humans who are endangered. A world without insects would eliminate one-third of the human food supply immediately. Insects pollinate plants, and without them, plants that humans rely on for food would not be able to grow.

And why do insects need humans?

“They don’t,” Waage said. “They need us to leave them alone.”

Iowa is the most altered state in the country, with the majority of its prairie fields converted to farmland, Waage said. This conversion has caused drastic changes in insect populations. Because of this, both the Blank Park Zoo and the Minnesota Zoo have led conservation efforts to help restore butterfly populations in Iowa and surrounding states.

The Minnesota Zoo is focusing its efforts on protecting the Poweshiek Skipperling. only 500 Skipperlings are suspected to remain in the wild, making it one of the most endangered species in the world. The zoo’s conservation program is what zoos are meant for, said Erik Runquist, biologist at the Minnesota Zoo. He said the zoos are meant for education and to act as activist organizations.

“It all starts with education,” Waage said.

The conservation efforts at the Blank Park Zoo focus on the monarch butterfly. Like the Minnesota Zoo, the Blank Park Zoo focuses on educating the public about the efforts. By educating the public about how they can help save the butterflies in their own backyard, Jessie Lowry, conservation manager at the Blank Park Zoo, said the zoo can make a big difference.

“The general public can make a significant impact by planting pollinator ‘gas stations’ in their yard,” Lowry said.

These “gas stations” are small strips of weeds planted by the public that provide butterflies nectar to feed on and places to lay their eggs. By having the weeds growing in backyards, the public can limit the distance the butterflies have to fly between feedings.

“Without the butterflies the world would be a small, lonely place,” Runquist said.

While most of the attendees at the Day of Insects were not students, many of the presenters emphasized the necessity to include and encourage students and younger children to go out and make their own insect discoveries.

“The best way to learn about insects is to observe them in nature,” said Eileen Miller, naturalist and presenter at the Day of Insects.

As the day wrapped up, attendees were left with an encouragement by MJ Hatfield, an entomologist and presenter at the Day of Insects, to always keep looking for new species and to never let their sense of wonder fade.

“Never be so focused on what you are looking for that you overlook what you find,” Hatfield said, quoting author Ann Patchett.