Robust evidence of insect declines

Insect declines have been implicated as possible drivers of declines in insect-eating birds2 and in animal-pollinated plants3. [...]massive losses in insect diversity (Fig. 1) and abundance would be grounds for serious concern. [...]EU restrictions on the use of neonicotinoid insecticides were instituted specifically to protect insect pollinators, and (industry-funded) research11 suggests that this restriction has cost EU oilseed-rape farmers more than €500 million (US$549 million) annually, because of reduced production and the consequential increased costs. If such in-depth, landscape-scale field research and monitoring were rolled out more widely across Europe and beyond, we could begin to build land-use and agricultural policies on the basis of compelling scientific evidence.