Protecting Nature's Most Vital Stewards.
Death by a Thousand Cuts
The Global Entomology Coalition is driven by an alarming fact: insect populations are plummeting worldwide, but even more alarming is the lack of data that can accurately tell us just how fast. Even so, there is a severe lack of funding and research to counter this crisis. Most insect-related research and conservation efforts focus narrowly on anthropomorphic viewpoints regarding agricultural pests and disease vectors— or how to control them rather than recognizing their broader environmental importance.
Our mission is to shift this focus—to foster a deeper understanding of all insects and spiders and highlight their irreplaceable environmental value.​
Unfortunately, there's no one-size-fits-all solution as their declines can truly be defined as Death by a Thousand Cuts, and only intensifying as human populations skyrocket. From agricultural pressures to climate change, our planet's custodians are under siege.
Image Source: Image created by Virginia Wagner, Insect decline in the Anthropocene: Death by a thousand cuts, David L. Wagner, Eliza M. Grames, Matthew L. Forister, May R. Berenbaum , and David Stopak
Mending a Thousand Cuts
Through education and public engagement, we're transforming cultural perceptions of insects—shifting them from nuisances to be controlled to critical components of thriving ecosystems. We're creating innovative research and conservation initiatives, outreach education programs, and stepping outside the box to mend a thousand cuts.
Education
Education kindles appreciation.
Appreciation sparks passion.
Passion ignites action.
It all starts with education and outreach. We provide resources, training programs, educational initiatives, and open research expeditions to the public to inspire and foster appreciation for the incredibly important behaviors, adaptations, and environmental roles insects play in maintaining global ecological balance.
Research
When we study entomology, we measure the pulse of our ecosystems.
To understand them is to understand the very heartbeat of Earth
At the core of the GEC’s objectives is the promotion of research that addresses critical issues related to insect biodiversity, ecology, behavior, and physiology. By facilitating communication and collaboration among experts across various disciplines and the general public, the coalition aims to accelerate scientific discoveries and develop effective strategies for insect conservation and discovery.
Conservation
"Like the resource it seeks to protect, wildlife conservation must be dynamic, changing as conditions change, seeking always to become more effective."
- Excerpt from Silent Spring, by Rachel Carson
The coalition actively engages with local businesses and communities, NGOs, biological field stations, universities and schools to advocate for evidence-based policies and practices that support insect conservation efforts and change the global attitudes toward insects to help turn their negative reputation around.
