I am not of the same belief. Animals and insects are part of nature. Just as flowers, as you mention, symbolize spiritual things so do animals. Ancient cultures, I am thinking, indigenous tribes, believed in their spirits. As far as numbers, they relate back to Pythogoras, Greek Philosopher and Mathematician, attributed theories not only to math but astronomy and theory of music and sound) This was the time of the greek "muses". So, my beliefs, are steeped in these stories more than angels.