Although it's impossible to say exactly what would happen if all insects on Earth suddenly vanished, it's likely that civilization — if not most ecosystems throughout the planet — would be in serious trouble. Without dung beetles and other poop-eaters, nitrogen-rich feces could build up, choking plant life and preventing anything from growing. Meanwhile, no dermestids and other insects that eat corpses would mean fewer custodians able to clean up dead bodies and recycle those nutrients back into the ecosystem.