Vanishing Insects

You wake up to a chorus of chirping birds. You hop out of bed, eat a bowl of oatmeal topped with almonds and raspberries, and head off to school. Along the way, you see flowers blooming in window boxes. You’re able to enjoy all these things—the birds, the breakfast, and the flowers—thanks to some tiny helpers you likely didn’t even notice: insects!

Insects fill many vital roles on our planet. They pollinate plants, including the ones we grow for food, by transferring grains of pollen between flowers so the plants can reproduce. Insects also clean up decaying messes like dead leaves and animal carcasses. This helps prevent the spread of harmful diseases. And insects are a source of food for other animals. All of this makes them an essential part of nearly every ecosystem—a community of organisms interacting with their environment. But in recent decades, scientists have noticed something alarming: Insects seem to be disappearing.

Today a third of all insect species are experiencing a decline in their numbers (see Under Threat). This is a serious problem, says Scott Black, the executive director of the Xerces Society, an organization headquartered in Oregon that promotes insect conservation. “Without insects, this planet wouldn’t be at all the same. The loss of insects would be devastating for life on Earth.”

You wake up to the songs of birds. You hop out of bed and eat a bowl of oatmeal with almonds and raspberries. Then you head off to school. Along the way, flowers are blooming in window boxes. You can enjoy the birds, the breakfast, and the flowers because of some tiny helpers. You probably didn’t even notice them. They’re insects!

Insects fill many vital roles on our planet. They pollinate plants, including the ones we grow for food. They carry grains of pollen between flowers so the plants can reproduce. Insects also clean up decaying messes. They remove dead leaves and animal carcasses. This helps prevent the spread of harmful diseases. And insects are a food source for other animals. Because of these roles, insects are an important part of nearly every ecosystem. That’s a community of organisms along with their environment. But in recent decades, scientists have noticed a problem. Insects seem to be disappearing.

Today a third of all insect species are declining in numbers (see Under Threat). This is a serious problem, says Scott Black, the executive director of the Xerces Society. This organization promotes insect conservation from its headquarters in Oregon. “Without insects, this planet wouldn’t be at all the same,” says Black. “The loss of insects would be devastating for life on Earth.”

So why have so many insects gone missing?  “The cause is humans,” says Black. People have replaced insects’ habitats—or natural homes—with vast lawns, parking lots, and large-scale agriculture. These humanmade landscapes don’t provide the food and shelter most insects need to survive.

Why have so many insects gone missing? “The cause is humans,” says Black. Insects are losing their habitats, or natural homes. People have replaced them with vast lawns, parking lots, and large-scale agriculture. These humanmade landscapes don’t provide the right food and shelter for most insects. So the insects can’t survive.

Climate change is also wreaking havoc on many habitats. Insects adapted to live in a particular environment can be wiped out when conditions suddenly change. At the same time, a warming climate is making some places more hospitable to unwanted insects like mosquitoes.

Pesticides are another big factor causing the disappearance of insects. Farmers and homeowners spray these chemicals on plants to kill pests that might otherwise destroy their crops and gardens. However, pesticides don’t just kill troublesome insects. They also kill beneficial ones, says Art Shapiro, an ecologist at the University of California, Davis.

Climate change is also turning many habitats upside down. Insects may be adapted to live in a certain environment. When conditions suddenly change, they can be wiped out. A warming climate also makes some places better for unwanted insects like mosquitoes.

Pesticides are another big reason for the disappearance of insects. Farmers and homeowners spray these chemicals on plants. They want to kill pests that might destroy their crops and gardens. But pesticides don’t kill just the pesky insects. They also kill beneficial ones, says Art Shapiro. He’s an ecologist at the University of California, Davis.

If insects were to vanish, things on Earth would be bleak. One-third of the world’s food crops depend on insect pollinators. Without them, things like almonds, apples, bananas, chocolate, and coffee would disappear. Many animals would disappear too. Fish, frogs, lizards, and a whopping 96 percent of bird species rely on insects for food. And the loss of insects doesn’t just affect the animals that feed on them directly—it also affects organisms farther up the food chain. Grizzly bears, for example, feed on freshwater fish (that eat insects) and berries (that are pollinated by insects).

Insects also feed on pests, like cockroaches, flies, and mosquitoes. And they eat even grosser stuff, like animal droppings. “Without insects like dung beetles, we’d be up to our necks in poop!” says Black.

If insects were gone, things on Earth would be grim. One-third of the world’s food crops depend on insect pollinators. Without them, many foods would disappear. That includes almonds, apples, bananas, chocolate, and coffee. Many animals would disappear too. Fish, frogs, lizards, and 96 percent of bird species need insects for food. And the loss of insects doesn’t just affect the animals that eat them directly. It also affects organisms farther up the food chain. For example, grizzly bears eat freshwater fish and berries. These fish eat insects, and the berries are pollinated by insects.

Insects also eat pests. They feed on cockroaches, flies, and mosquitoes. And they eat even grosser stuff, like animal droppings. “Without insects like dung beetles, we’d be up to our necks in poop!” says Black.

But don’t panic! Humans may be causing this problem, but we can also be part of the solution to help insect populations bounce back. One way to do that is to create more habitat where insects can thrive, says Black, by growing a garden with plants native to your region. It doesn’t matter if you live on a farm or in a city apartment—even a few potted plants on your balcony can provide a home for bugs. You could even ask your school to install a pollinator garden to attract bees, butterflies, and other insects.

If possible, help insects by buying organic food that’s grown without the use of harmful pesticides. Also, consider participating in citizen science projects, like iNaturalist or Bumble Bee Watch. They have websites where people can document insects they see around them, which helps scientists track insect numbers. Finally, spread the word about how important insects are to people and the planet. “Insects often get a bad rap, but these organisms are amazing,” says Daniels. “They’re worthy of our attention and conservation.”

But don’t panic! Humans may be causing this problem, but we can also help insect populations bounce back. One way to help is to create more habitat where insects can thrive, says Black. Grow a garden with plants native to your region. It doesn’t matter if you live on a farm or in a city apartment. Even a few potted plants on your balcony can provide a home for bugs. You could even ask your school to start a pollinator garden. The plants would attract bees, butterflies, and other insects.

If possible, help insects by buying organic food. It’s grown without the use of harmful pesticides. You can also take part in citizen science projects, like iNaturalist or Bumble Bee Watch. On the projects’ websites, people can record the insects they see. That helps scientists track insect numbers. Finally, tell others how important insects are to people and the planet. “Insects often get a bad rap, but these organisms are amazing,” says Daniels. “They’re worthy of our attention and conservation.”