Australia is burning, there may be another major war on the horizon, and the earth is in the midst of what has been dubbed the ‘insect apocalypse’.

Otherwise, are you well?

For those who feel like a long-distance drive now results in far fewer squished bugs on the windscreen, you’re not wrong. More than 70 scientists from across the planet have now called for urgent action, outlining a plan of action necessary to turn the tide.

As things stand, more than 40% of insect species around the world are declining, and a third are classed as endangered.

The Guardian reports:

The world must eradicate pesticide use, prioritise nature-based farming methods and urgently reduce water, light and noise pollution to save plummeting insect populations, according to a new “roadmap to insect recovery” compiled by experts…

Phasing out synthetic pesticides and fertilisers used in industrial farming and aggressive greenhouse gas emission reductions are among a series of urgent “no-regret” solutions to reverse what conservationists have called the “unnoticed insect apocalypse”.

Alongside these measures, scientists must urgently establish which herbivores, detritivores, parasitoids, predators and pollinators are priority species for conservation…

The animals are crucial to the healthy functioning of ecosystems by recycling nutrients, serving as pollinators and acting as food for other wildlife.

A scientific paper, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, outlines how desperate the situation is, with the world facing a “catastrophic collapse of nature’s ecosystems” if human-driven insect extinction isn’t turned around.

The 73 scientists leading the call to action included this infographic in their letter:

Here’s a little more on why insects are so crucial, via CD:

Cornell professor John Losey, another co-author and chair of IUCN’s Ladybird Specialist Group, explained that “we depend on insect predators like ladybugs to protect our crops from pests while birds, bats, and fish depend on insects as food.”

“We can’t survive without all these different insects, and they are all going through alarming losses in both numbers and diversity,” Losey warned. “Ignoring this issue places all our food security at risk.”

You’ll hear the word apocalypse thrown around a great deal this year, but in this case (and in the case of Australia’s bushfires), it seems appropriate.

[sources:guardian&cd]