KEY POINTS

The journal Biological Conservation, has compiled and analysed 73 existing studies from around the world published over the past 40 years, found that over 40% of insect species could go extinct in the next few decades, with butterflies, bees and dung beetles most affected.

Significance of insects

·        All insects help to maintain the intricate balance nature has in place. Many invertebrates, for example, including a host of insects, are particular about the kind of soil they inhabit. Their absence can be a serious indicator of soil health.

·        They aerate the soil, pollinate blossoms, and control insect and plant pests.

·        Many insects, especially beetles, are scavengers, feeding on dead animals and fallen trees, thereby recycling nutrients back into the soil.

·        As decomposers, insects help create top soil, the nutrient-rich layer of soil that helps plants grow. Burrowing bugs, such as ants and beetles, dig tunnels that provide channels for water, benefiting plants.

·        Bees, wasps, butterflies, and ants pollinate flowering plants. Finally, all insects fertilize the soil with the nutrients from their droppings.

Plan to prevent declining population

·        Co-operation at the international level like conference of parties, summits  to deliberate about the strategy by countries.

·        Utilization of traditional knowledge by our ancestors. Eg: using natural predators to weed out insects from agricultural field.

·        Reduce the usage of high intensity light which misdirects the migration of insects causing imbalance in the ecosystem.

·        Increase in awareness about the importance of the insects in the ecosystem at community level through puppetry, drams, theatre festival etc.

·        Reduction in intensive agriculture, usage of natural fertilizers, avoiding the introduction of invasive species will go a long way in preventing the declining of insects population.

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