Fears for insects as numbers decline

Wildlife and people will suffer if the rapid rate of decline in the number of insects is not stemmed, says a new report

Insect Declines and Why They Matter, a new report commissioned by an alliance of wildlife trusts in the South West, has concluded that the rapid decline in insect numbers as a result of pesticides will have a devastating effect on both wildlife and people.

Invertebrate expert Dave Goulson, professor of biology at the University of Sussex, says: “Wild insects are routinely exposed to complex cocktails of toxins which can cause either death or disorientation and weakened immune and digestive systems. The consequences are clear; if insect declines are not halted, terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems will collapse, with profound consequences for human well-being.”

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Steve Ott

Steve Ott is editor of Kitchen Garden magazine and started his career as a professional grower, producing everything from cut flowers to vegetables. He has been growing fruit and veg all his life and spends most of his spare time in his garden in the East Midlands. He loves to experiment with crops and varieties he has never grown before and when he isn’t gardening is to be found out in the countryside bird watching and walking his dog Ted.