Science Talk: Beyond bees and butterflies – why South-east Asia must step up on insect conservation

SINGAPORE – When people think of conservation, they often focus on large mammals or birds, but insects are just as vital to healthy ecosystems. 

Insects occur in nearly every terrestrial habitat on earth, with estimates suggesting that they make up nearly 80 per cent of all animals. 

Insects perform crucial ecosystem functions, such as pollination, biocontrol and decomposition. Around 75 per cent of our crops are insect pollinated, and research has shown that a loss in pollinators has led to a reduction in fruit, vegetable and nut production. 

Yet, our research has found that across South-east Asia, insect conservation remains severely under-represented in research, funding and public discourse.

In recent years, claims of a global “insect apocalypse” – or the mass extinction of many insect species – have led to much interest among the public and scientific community towards insect conservation. 

However, this seemingly devastating claim could be overstated, as it was made based on just a few highly localised studies. 

Yet, the debates surrounding this narrative highlight the importance of understanding local and regional patterns of insect populations before reporting any global trends. 

Within South-east Asia, however, insect conservation and monitoring efforts are still lacking. 

Many species face threats from habitat loss, climate change and human activities, but they remain understudied and underfunded. 

Without proper research and conservation efforts, we risk losing insect species before we even manage to describe them and understand their ecological roles.

In January, we published a study in the scientific journal Ecology Letters that analysed over 500,000 South-east Asian insect records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility – an open-access repository of global biodiversity data – and over 7,500 South-east Asian insect studies in scientific papers.

Our findings revealed significant data gaps – most insect records in the region were of the charismatic butterflies, while many other insect groups remain largely overlooked. 

Conservation and ecology papers were lacking in most South-east Asian countries, while our global social media analysis of over 500,000 Twitter posts with the hashtag #conservation showed that insects accounted for less than 3 per cent of discussions among users.

Most of these online discussions were about bees and butterflies.

Based on the number of insect records and studies per square kilometre, Singapore stood out as the country in South-east Asia with the highest density of insect records and studies.

The country’s strong digital infrastructure, accessibility of study sites and robust public engagement programmes have helped to document more than 70,000 insect occurrence records over the last 20 years, although more than half of these are butterfly records. 

Importantly, citizen science projects and national biodiversity surveys, such as the Dragonfly Watch and BioBlitz events by the National Parks Board, have played key roles in raising awareness about insects.

Even on this small island, new insect species are being discovered today. 

From our dung beetle surveys and examination of previous survey data, we will likely discover at least five new dung beetle species that have not been recorded in Singapore. 

Lost species are also being rediscovered. 

A recent example is a tiny lace bug species (Stephanitis kardia) that had not been seen since 1917, and was recently found under the leaves of a native tree in the Singapore Botanic Gardens. 

These exciting discoveries have highlighted the importance of research in insect taxonomy and natural history so that we can continue to identify and discover new insect species to science.

Less charismatic, but equally important 

While bees and butterflies often dominate conservation conversations, other insects are equally crucial to ecosystems. 

Dung beetles, for example, play an essential role in nutrient recycling, soil aeration and seed dispersal. 

This group of insects occurs in every terrestrial environment, from temperate to tropical climates, and in various habitats, such as forest and agricultural ecosystems. 

Dung beetles rely primarily on dung as a food and nesting resource. By manipulating and relocating dung, their activities allow organic matter to be mixed into the soil and supply nutrients for other soil organisms and plant roots. 

Due to their close reliance on the dung of mammals and other vertebrates, dung beetle populations are also highly sensitive to deforestation and habitat fragmentation, since less available habitats would reduce the number of vertebrates.

Our research has shown that a lower diversity of mammals and dung beetles is often found in disturbed habitats, which negatively affects waste removal processes and soil health. 

Dung beetles are also important for agricultural ecosystems as they bury the dung of farm animals, which helps in reducing parasite infections, breeding of flies and greenhouse gas emissions. 

Yet, despite the multiple ecological roles of dung beetles and other soil invertebrates, they still receive little attention compared with insect groups that are more frequently studied, such as butterflies and bees.

Beyond insects, broader biodiversity research efforts in Singapore are helping to shed light on the impact of environmental changes. 

In addition to other NTU research projects on moths and bats that assess how climate change and urbanisation affect biodiversity, our fellow scientists from NUS have also been documenting spiders and insects on Sentosa Island to better understand urban biodiversity conservation.

These studies provide important insights into how different species interact with their environments and respond to ecological pressures.

Strengthening regional cooperation

Across Asean, insect conservation efforts remain fragmented. 

Malaysia has made notable strides in butterfly conservation, with sanctuaries such as Penang’s Entopia playing a role in insect outreach and preserving endangered species. 

In Thailand, research into the harvesting and production of edible insect species is under way to ensure a stable and sustainable food system. 

A collaborative project between Indonesia and Germany (Indobiosys) has built a comprehensive DNA barcode library of more than 20,000 records of insect specimens gathered from 2015 to 2018. 

However, these efforts are often isolated, and a regional strategy for insect conservation remains absent.

The urgency of insect conservation is further underscored by the ongoing loss of biodiversity. 

Deforestation, agricultural and urban expansion, and climate change continue to threaten insect populations. 

These changes not only impact insects but also disrupt entire ecosystems, affecting plant reproduction, food webs and carbon storage.

To address these challenges, there is a need for stronger cross-border collaboration among Asean nations. 

Singapore, with its strong economy and strategic position in the heart of South-east Asia, can play a key role in fostering regional partnerships. 

Joint research initiatives, data-sharing platforms and coordinated conservation efforts could enhance the collective understanding of insect diversity and threats across different habitats.

At the same time, public engagement must be expanded to change perceptions of insects – not as pests, but as vital components of ecosystems. 

Education campaigns, citizen science projects and social media outreach can all help bridge the awareness gap. 

Members of the public can also subscribe to various South-east Asian insect interest groups and organisations, such as the Entomological Network of Singapore and Entomological Society of Malaysia, to learn more about current insect research and to develop an appreciation towards insects. 

South-east Asia is home to incredible insect biodiversity, from the tiny lace bug in Singapore to the Rajah Brooke’s Birdwing in Malaysia.

Yet, many species are disappearing before they are even studied. 

If we want to safeguard the region’s biodiversity, we must shift our focus beyond just charismatic animals. Insects may be small, but their impact is enormous – and it is time we start protecting them.

• Dr Ong Xin Rui is from the NUS Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum and NTU Tropical Ecology and Entomology Lab (TEE Lab). She does research on dung beetle diversity and conservation efforts in South-east Asia. Associate Professor Eleanor Slade is from NTU’s Asian School of the Environment and is the principal investigator of the TEE Lab. Her work examines the impacts of environmental change on insects and other invertebrates and their roles in maintaining ecosystem functions. 

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