Ask HN: Are insect populations declining? What are the consequences?

1 pointdesertraven1 comment

I've seen a few threads on HN talking about how there's way less bug splats on cars nowadays, and a decline in their sightings since decades ago. This is all anecdotal, though it seems pretty alarming if true.

Are insects at risk of extinction? Will animals which prey upon insects also decline? Are there any efforts to reintroduce insects to the environment?

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Bugs are a huge part of the environment. They pollinate plants, help with the break down of dead animals and plants, are food for other insects and larger animals to name a few benefits. So at the very least we'll see, are probably seeing now, a decline of certain larger animals and plants. The web of life is being disrupted so it's only a matter of time before it affects us all.

Over the years I've only heard of the decline in their numbers. And some of the bugs being put on the endangered list. But in most of the industrialized world the goal is to do whatever needs to be done to get rid of them. It may seem that there are too many of them to endanger their population but a combination of habitat reduction, climate change and our indifference to them will eventually have a very big impact on their population. An, in turn, ours...

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