Agricultural pest insect control kills billions of insects annually — and as evidence for insect sentience grows, welfare considerations for pest management are becoming more relevant.
The moral status of insects is uncertain but not negligible. Evidence for nociception in some insect species is growing, and the precautionary principle suggests consideration is warranted. At the scale of agriculture — billions of insects affected per hectare per application — even a small probability of morally relevant suffering constitutes a massive welfare concern. Integrated pest management and targeted rather than broadcast approaches reduce harm while maintaining crop protection.