A world without insects is a world without humans. Butterflies and bees, ants and beetles, cockroaches and dragonflies — whether loved or feared, insects help humans. Just sample the ways these animals enable life as we know it: they pollinate crops, give us new medicines, break down waste, and support entire ecosystems.

Insect populations, the major part of ecosystems, are declining by about 0.92% per year, amounting to 24% fewer insects in 30 years and 50% fewer in 75 years. Furthermore, one-third of insect species have already classed as Endangered. The repercussions this will have for the planet's ecosystems are catastrophic, to say the least, as insects are at the structural and functional base of many of the world's ecosystems since their rise at the end of the Devonian period, almost 400 million years ago. This means that the fate of insects is entwined with that of people and many other vertebrates.

Further assessment, inventorying and mapping of global insect distributions are needed to better understand and protect insect diversity. All of us can do something to help conserve dwindling insect populations. Entomology may be the easiest field in which amateurs can make significant contributions to science. Valuing nature, making observations, and realizing the importance of interactions translates into a focus on ecosystems and landscapes for insect conservation success. less ↑