Pollinators including bees, butterflies, and hoverflies are in serious decline globally, with significant implications for both ecosystem function and the wellbeing of these sentient invertebrates.
Bees almost certainly have some capacity for welfare-relevant experience. They show pain avoidance, pessimistic cognitive biases under stress, and there is evidence that negative emotional states affect their behaviour. The scale of pollinator decline — billions of individuals affected — combined with the possible sentience of these insects makes pollinator welfare a significant ethical concern, as well as an ecological and agricultural crisis. Reducing pesticide use, restoring habitat, and managing honeybee colonies carefully are the most impactful interventions.