Insect farming is growing rapidly as a sustainable protein source, raising new welfare questions about invertebrate sentience.
Whether farmed insects suffer is one of the most contested questions in animal welfare science. Insects have nervous systems capable of detecting noxious stimuli and show avoidance behaviours, but the presence of subjective suffering is uncertain. The precautionary principle suggests that given the enormous numbers involved (billions per day in large operations) and genuine scientific uncertainty, basic welfare considerations are warranted. Temperature-appropriate killing methods and appropriate stocking densities represent minimal-cost precautions.