The global decline of insect populations documented over recent decades raises welfare questions alongside its well-publicised ecological implications, particularly as evidence of insect sentience grows.
The welfare dimension of insect biodiversity loss is rarely discussed but deserves attention as our understanding of insect sentience develops. If insects have welfare-relevant experiences — which emerging neuroscience suggests is plausible for at least some species — then the documented mass mortality of insect populations represents a welfare event of extraordinary scale alongside its ecological significance. Independent of the sentience question, declining insect populations mean reduced populations of the animals that pollinate crops, decompose organic matter and sustain food chains, with cascading consequences for vertebrate animal welfare. Addressing insect decline through habitat restoration and pesticide reduction serves multiple welfare interests simultaneously.