The UK’s future depends on its tiniest creatures. Here’s how we can save them
The UK’s leading insect conservation charities, joined by over 50 organisations, institutions, and community groups, have issued a unified ‘Declaration on UK Insect Declines’. This urgent call to action, made at this week’s Wild Summit event in Bristol, addresses the steep and ongoing losses in the nation’s insect populations, urging governments, businesses, and the public to take immediate steps to reverse the alarming trend.
The declaration, led by Buglife, Butterfly Conservation, and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust, pushes for a multifaceted approach: widespread restoration of insect-rich habitats, bold reductions in pesticides, stronger legal protections, and major investment in research, monitoring, and public engagement. ‘Reversing insect decline is essential, not optional, for halting nature loss and achieving the UK’s climate and biodiversity goals,’ say the charities.
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The evidence is clear: insects are in crisis
Insects are the unsung heroes of our ecosystems. They pollinate our crops, recycle nutrients, and form the foundation of the food web for countless other animals. Yet, a growing body of scientific evidence shows they are in serious trouble.
The latest Big Butterfly Count from Butterfly Conservation revealed that despite nearly perfect weather conditions, butterfly sightings remained at average levels. The long-term trend is even more concerning, showing that more than twice as many widespread species have declined significantly than have increased over the past 15 years.
The Bugs Matter survey, conducted by Buglife and Kent Wildlife Trust, found a staggering 63 per cent drop in flying insects on vehicle number plates across the UK since 2021. And if that weren’t enough, the BeeWalk monitoring scheme run by the Bumblebee Conservation Trust found that 2024 was the worst year for bumblebees on record, with numbers declining by almost a quarter compared to the 2010-2023 average.
These declines are not a mystery. They are driven by well-documented pressures: habitat loss, pesticide use, intensive farming, pollution, climate change, and invasive species. These factors are pushing many insect species toward extinction thresholds, undermining the very ecosystems that human well-being depends on.
A path to insect recovery
The declaration outlines a clear path forward, demanding:
- Restoration and reconnection of insect-rich habitats across farmlands, urban areas, and freshwater systems.
- Legally enforced reductions in pesticide use and other pollutants.
- Legal safeguards for key insect species and their habitats.
- Increased investment in ecological monitoring, research, and public education.
‘This declaration gives us the mandate and momentum to implement the large-scale changes that can reverse these devastating trends,’ says Craig Macadam, Conservation Director at Buglife. ‘We cannot afford to keep losing generations of pollinators and decomposers, the time for action is now.’
The declaration concludes with an invitation for all to join the cause. ‘The UK must become a world leader in insect recovery. We call for a national, cross-sector response equal to the scale of the crisis… We invite organisations across the UK and beyond to endorse this declaration and help forge a future where insects thrive once more.’
As part of the Wild Summit, Butterfly Conservation also launched the Big Insect Rescue Plan, a new initiative to engage the public in actively helping to restore insect populations. ‘We know what needs to be done and have the evidence to prove it works,’ says Julie Williams, CEO of Butterfly Conservation. ‘We must now work together, across all sectors, to make the changes needed for our insects to thrive.’
