Biodiversity creates balance with organisms keeping each other in check through systems of support and predation as every species plays a distinct role on the earth from the largest animals to the smallest insects. We need earthworms in soil to make it porous, flies and beetles to break down dung, bees and butterflies for pollination, insects as human food, prey for birds, reptiles and amphibians. Our food production is mainly dependent of pollination of insects as pollinators affect 75% of the leading food crop worldwide1. Biodiversity is intricate web in which decline of insects affects other components of ecosystem too. Species richness of insect is rapidly decreasing with decline in the diversity and abundance of insect resulted due to destruction of natural habitats, pesticide application and climate change. The decline of insect biodiversity may be the forewarning for the total collapse of our ecosystem threating the biodiversity. 

I remember playing with butterflies and dragonfly as child around my house but I can’t find any of them nowadays. I asked myself, where have they gone? As I this question hit my thought, I happen to see a television with news headline “Extinction of 40% of the world's insect species over the next few decades”2. The newspaper on the desk had article on the title “Pesticidal use threatens insect biodiversity” in its front page. I felt like ‘The Silent Spring’ a book by Rachel Carson on my bookshelf repetitively laughing at our activities, which discussed on the effects of pesticides on insect written more than a half century ago. Population of human is increasing enormously but there has been constant loss in biodiversity. With our increasing demands, humans have pushed nature beyond its limit as we have lost so many parts of ecosystem and many are at the stage of vulnerability.

Pesticides have played a key role in the degradation of the natural resources, habitats and biodiversity of insects. Pesticidal impact on insect biodiversity are increasingly being recognized at the ecosystem and global levels as widespread contamination of ecosystems with plant protection products is evident. Pesticidal toxicity harm insects directly as well as accumulate in environment which threatens healthy living and environmental pollution. Pesticidal toxic effects in insects directly affects insect’s health, habitats and food chain with short and long-term effects. We must acknowledge the importance of insect biodiversity and is necessary for us to determine the risk posed by pesticides to our insects and shift our activities towards sustainability with minimum use of pesticides. 

Although, humans are the most intelligent creature on the planet, we have been the most selfish one. We all must realize that there is eco hero inside us to protect the planet and reverse the biodiversity. Every people on the planet should take the responsibility to protect the planet as no effort taken to protect the planet is ever small. Biological diversity can only be preserved with every human finding the eco hero inside themselves and ready to take action. We can start the actions from our home. We can practice organic farming in our kitchen garden producing vegetables and fruits we eat without using pesticides. Organic farming excludes toxic pesticides, protect biological communities and fight climate change which will help to protect and increase insect biodiversity. We can build nesting places for pollinators planting flowers and plants, encourage biological pest control and bring balance to our garden and produce our own healthy foods. We can undertake composting with the food we waste and also promote vermi composting among farmers instead of using fertilizers for higher production.

Large amount of pesticides is used by farmers which directly harms the insects. Farmers should prefer safe and responsible use of plant protection products. The necessity of integrated pest management during farming has increased with importance of biodiversity utilizing the ecofriendly methods like physical, mechanical and cultural method, biological pest control and pesticides being used as the last option. We must connect with the nature and create a harmony. It is the best way to protect insect biodiversity which performs a vital function within ecosystems, bringing higher diversity which tends to be more stable. 

Our small acts for the nature can help to reduce the pesticidal use and its impact on the insect biodiversity. Current global pandemic of COVID19 has given us a time to think about nature and find an eco-hero inside us. We should put prevention first, before there will be more loss of insect diversity. We must remind concerned bodies to incorporate a proper policy and its implementation for the protection of insects. Our individual actions to reduce the use of pesticides can help to reverse the insect biodiversity and protect the ecosystem. we should fight together for reform the use of pesticidal patterns and build biodiversity in small places that will increase resilience of biological communities. Let’s show up our eco hero and take a pledge to make our farm, garden and surrounding pesticide free zone, protect our pollinators and preserve our insect biodiversity. 

References

IPBES. 2016. Summary for policymakers of the assessment report of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services on pollinators, pollination and food production. (p. 36). Bonn, Germany: Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Science- Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.

Hobson, J. and Mitchell, J. 2019. 40 Percent of Insect Species Could Go Extinct In Coming Decades, Study Finds. Here and Now. Retrieved from: https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2019/02/12/insect-species-dying-off-research