A striking display of colour: the wonderful animals in the new LEGO® Ideas The insect collection

THE DIFFERENT INSECTS

“Insects are an important part of a healthy ecosystem,” says Mark Gurney, Data Scientist at the UK Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB).

"Many insects pollinate plants, which is of course very important for our food, our fruit trees and all kinds of crops."

The set contains five beautiful insects: three large and two smaller hidden ones, all almost life-size.

The beautiful blue morpho butterfly usually flutters through the jungles of Central and South America and on certain Caribbean islands, but from now on you can also admire its delicate display of colors in your home.

With its posable, blue-tinted wings, it rests on a buildable flower with a small honey bee next to it that emphasizes the size of the butterfly.

The mighty Hercules beetle lives in the same region, but is much less delicate. It is the longest beetle in the world and one of the largest flying insects, with impressive horns that are longer than its body.

It owes its name to Hercules, the mythological warrior famous for his enormous strength. That name is well deserved, because the Hercules beetle can lift up to 850 times its own body weight. Pretty impressive, right?

“The Hercules beetle larvae help keep habitats healthy by feeding on rotting wood. Almost all insects that eat dead wood require fungi to help break it down,” explains Mark.

The biomes (the physical habitats) of the insects are also clearly discussed in the LEGO set. For example, the Hercules beetle rests on a piece of wood made of LEGO bricks – its favorite food – from which two blue mushrooms grow, highlighting the crucial role of fungi.

Then there's the fully posable Chinese praying mantis, with two articulated front legs that allow you to place it in its signature 'praying' position. By the way, did you notice the seven-spotted ladybug? It better keep enough distance if it doesn't want to be eaten.

There are separate building instructions for each model, so you can build the set alone or together with another insect expert.

THE ROLE OF INSECTS

Certain insects may be small, but their role in our world is anything but. In addition to pollination, they play a crucial role in many other aspects of our lives: they form the basis of our food chain, clear away dead wood and ensure healthy soil in which plants and trees grow optimally.

But despite their important role, the future does not look particularly bright for insects.

“It's actually very worrying,” Mark continues. "There seem to be far fewer insects than when I was younger. So many have already disappeared."

"For example, the seven-spotted ladybird is one of the most common insects in the UK, but their numbers appear to be declining, despite being very important in controlling aphids that eat garden plants."

Insects also play a crucial role in how we interact with nature in everyday life. What could help is learning more about insects and learning to love them, and Mark hopes this new set can make a real difference in that regard.

“If it inspires people, if it shatters the notion that insects are boring or a bit dirty, then that's fantastic,” says Mark. "If it gets people out looking for bugs... great. You never know, maybe the set will inspire someone to work for the RSPB or something like that one day."

There are so many reasons why we should welcome insects to our outdoor spaces. We can attract them by simply planting insect-friendly plants and flowers or by building insect hotels for them.

So quickly get the LEGO Ideas The Insect Collection set and get acquainted with the wonderful world of insects!

You can even listen to the Insect Sounds playlist while you're at it...