Planet facing insect disaster

CRISIS: Honey bee HUMANS are causing a dramatic decline in insects, which could be a disaster for the planet, experts have warned.

Habitat loss, pesticides, disease, invasive species and climate change could see 40% of species become extinct in a few decades, a scientific study says.

The global review of declines in insects warned that the world was witnessing the “largest extinction event on Earth” for millions of years.

Due to the importance of insects to natural systems and other wildlife, “such events cannot be ignored and should prompt decisive action to avert a catastrophic collapse of nature’s ecosystems”, the scientists warned.

Insects ranging from butterflies and bees to dung beetles were said to be among the most affected.

Researchers warned changes to agriculture over the past six decades was “the root cause of the problem”.

The biggest driver in insect decline is loss of habitat and conversion of land to intensive farming and urban areas, followed by pollution, mainly by pesticides and fertilisers.

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