Beneath the earth, tucked inside trees, wedged between rocks and maybe even lurking in your basement: Canada’s spookiest species are alive, hiding in plain sight — and playing a crucial role in the health of our ecosystems.

Overshadowed by charismatic animal icons like the polar bear, moose and beaver, the creepy crawlies — from slithering snakes to eerie insects — nevertheless play an outsized role in keeping the natural world in balance. Read on to see a few examples!

With spiny bumps (called tubercles) dotting its squishy, blue-green body, the cecropia moth caterpillar acts as a food source for dozens of predators, including squirrels, bats and birds. Like many other insects, this caterpillar is a vital thread in the food web, not only providing protein-rich food for other animals b

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