Wild Insect Decline and Ecosystem Welfare

The dramatic decline of wild insect populations has profound welfare and ecological implications.

Key Facts

Insect biomass has declined by 75% in protected German habitats over 27 years
Insectivorous bird and bat populations have declined in parallel with insect abundance
Pesticides, light pollution, habitat loss, and climate change all contribute to insect decline
Insects perform pollination, decomposition, and nutrient cycling functions that underpin ecosystems
Whether insects have meaningful welfare experiences is debated but increasingly researched

Welfare Considerations

Wild insect decline raises welfare questions at multiple scales. If insects have any capacity for pain or suffering — a scientifically uncertain but increasingly discussed question — the mass death of trillions of individual insects from pesticide exposure, habitat loss, and light pollution would represent welfare harm of enormous scale. Beyond individual welfare uncertainty, insect decline cascades through ecosystems, causing suffering in insectivores that lose their food base. Regardless of the insect welfare question, the ecosystem consequences of insect decline affect animals whose welfare is unambiguous.

What You Can Do

Reduce or eliminate pesticide use in your garden — choose organic approaches
Plant native flowering species to support wild insect populations
Reduce outdoor lighting at night to decrease insect disorientation and mortality
Support agricultural policy reforms that reduce insecticide use at landscape scale
Donate to insect conservation and research organizations