I have been greatly disturbed over the past few years, by the absence of butterflies, even where there is a proliferation of flowers. This problem is far more serious than we have realized. The world’s insects are literally facing an apocalypse. There are numerous reasons for their decline. Loss of habitat due to our agricultural practices consisting of acres and acres of monocultures, deforestation of tropical areas, urbanization, pollution, and the blatant use of pesticides, have all contributed to the extinction of more than 40% of insect species. We are losing more than 2% a year, so within one hundred years our planet could experience the total extinction of all insects.
Insects lie at the bottom of the food chain. Predatory insects rely on smaller insects for their survival. Many birds depend on insects for the protein needed in their diets. Flowers depend on them for the transfer of pollen. We depend on insects to pollinate most of our food products. Insects are being threatened at an 8 times faster rate, than birds, reptiles, and fish. The number of insects now facing extinction is more than 40%.
The collapse of ecosystems beginning at the bottom of the food chain will eventually migrate, to the top of the food chain. It is like removing the foundation of a house. The house will not stand for long. Can humans survive without insects? Every life (plant, animal, fungi) is dependent upon other life. We may figure out a way to survive without other species, but it is not a world that I would care to live in. In a sustainable world, all species do not merely survive – they thrive.
