The question of whether invertebrates - insects, crustaceans, and other non-vertebrate animals - can suffer is gaining scientific and ethical attention, with implications for how billions of animals are treated.
Moral uncertainty about invertebrate sentience argues for a precautionary approach to their welfare. If there is even a modest probability that insects experience something negative when harmed, the scale of insect killing globally means the aggregate expected welfare cost is enormous. The discovery of nociceptors, learning, and protective behaviour in various invertebrates suggests more than simple reflex responses to harm. Developing welfare considerations for invertebrates before their scale of use in food production (insect farming) expands further is ethically important.