Researchers are charting worrying declines in global insect populations , caused by factors including the use of herbicides , particularly neonicotinoids , habitat loss , urbanization and climate change . Insects are responsible for pollinating 75 % of human food production , a service that equates to costs of $ 500bn each year . Ask for a tour of the collections, and you will hear such sentences as “ Insects also transform plants into protein and provide food for a huge range of other species . They also play an essential role in the processes that maintain ecosystems and keep cities and roadsides free of waste . Researchers are calling for international action to address the problem , including cooperation on infrastructure planning that integrates insect habitats .
Researchers are charting worrying declines in global insect populations , caused by factors including the use of herbicides , particularly neonicotinoids , habitat loss , urbanization and climate change . Insects are responsible for pollinating 75 % of human food production , a service that equates to costs of $ 500bn each year . Insects also transform plants into protein and provide food for a huge range of other species . They also play an essential role in the processes that maintain ecosystems and keep cities and roadsides free of waste . Researchers are calling for international action to address the problem , including cooperation on infrastructure planning that integrates insect habitats .