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The US Department of Agriculture has granted a conditional license for the first honeybee vaccine to protect bees from American foulbrood disease. The rapid decline of insects, including honeybees, is a cause for concern and has been dubbed the insect apocalypse. Insects, which make up over 80 percent of terrestrial species on Earth, provide invaluable ecosystem services such as pollination and breaking down manure, which is essential for the US cattle industry. The economic value of these services performed by insects in the US is estimated to be $57 billion.
The decline of insects is due to various factors including climate change, agriculture, increased use of insecticides and herbicides, deforestation, urbanization, and light pollution. A world without insects would be disastrous and would have a catastrophic effect on food webs and human nutrition. Over 2 billion individuals globally suffer from hidden hunger, or micronutrient deficiencies, which would worsen with the loss of insects and threaten global food security and public health.
To protect insects, a combination of approaches is needed, including creating diverse landscapes, reducing insecticide and herbicide usage, reducing light pollution, reducing carbon emissions, and advocating for insect conservation. Supporting research and educational institutions and research funding is also essential to understand and address insect decline.
Everyone can contribute to the goal of protecting insects, such as planting native plants, maintaining pollinator gardens, using safer pest management techniques, turning off outdoor lights at night, reducing carbon emissions, and advocating for insect conservation. It is essential that we commit to doing something to protect insects and their ecosystems for a sustainable future.