In the realm of insects, where the buzz of translucent wings and the patter of tiny feet reign, something troubling is unfolding: these small animals are quickly vanishing from the world.
But how do scientists detect insects’ often silent disappearances?
Because they’re tiny and often well hidden, detecting and preventing extinctions is no easy feat, explains Eliza Grames, a postdoctoral researcher at University of Nevada, Reno. “There are so many different things contributing to insect declines and it's not the same for all [groups] – it’s death by a thousand cuts,” Grames says.
Growing concern over the precipitous drop in insect populations has led some scientists to declare an "insect apocalypse." While some extinctions are a natural part of evolution, human changes to the environment are causing unprecedented declines and disappearances.
Over a million insect species are known to science. Experts guess, however, that there could be five to six ...
