With an estimated 10 quintillion insects on Earth, evidence for insect nociception and stress responses is prompting serious consideration of insect welfare for the first time in mainstream science.
The moral status of insects is genuinely uncertain - welfare science cannot definitively establish or rule out subjective experience in animals with such different neural architectures from vertebrates. However, the precautionary principle suggests that if there is meaningful probability of insect suffering, the scale of insects affected by human activities (insect farming, pesticides, habitat destruction) makes this a potentially significant welfare concern. Insect farming has grown rapidly as a protein source, with animals typically killed by freezing, heating, or grinding without established humane slaughter standards. The environmental case for insect protein over conventional livestock is strong, but environmental benefits do not automatically justify welfare indifference if insects have relevant capacity for negative experience. Welfare researchers increasingly call for research investment to clarify insect sentience and establish appropriate standards if warranted.