Protect Endangered Species

In the coming decades, 500,000 species of insects are expected to go extinct.

We defend species in the face of unprecedented insect extinction.

The quiet crisis of insect extinction threatens not just a remarkable diversity of invaluable creatures, but the very foundation of life as we know it. We protect and advocate for endangered insect species because of their intrinsic value and their critical contributions to Earth's ecosystems.

The Insect Apocalypse

Insects are facing unprecedented extinction rates. Human activities have transformed the face of the Earth, and the impacts on these small but essential creatures have been devastating. Habitat destruction, intensive agriculture, pesticide use, and climate change are driving what scientists now call the "insect apocalypse." It is now estimated that 65% of insect populations could go extinct over the next century – a loss that would ripple through every ecosystem on Earth.

The scale of habitat loss is staggering. Nearly half of Earth's land has been converted from natural forests and wetlands into agricultural land, with additional losses from urbanization. This massive transformation has stripped insects of the spaces they need to forage, reproduce, and carry out their essential ecological roles.

Pesticides pose another grave threat. These agrochemicals – including herbicides, fungicides, and insecticides – don't just kill target species. They can disrupt development and behavior in surviving insects, with effects that cascade through generations. The systemic use of pesticides like neonicotinoids—now the most widely used insecticides all over the world—is devastating fragile pollinators, aquatic insects, and endangered species. 

The changing climate adds another layer of vulnerability. Insects are cold-blooded animals, meaning they lack internal temperature regulation mechanisms, making them especially susceptible to temperature fluctuations. Climate change is impacting insects’ fertility, lifecycles, and interactions with other species. Many species are being forced to abandon their native ranges, leading to cascading effects on native plants and ecosystems.

We take this personally. Insects are the invisible force that keeps our world running. They pollinate roughly one-third of our food crops, decompose organic matter, maintain soil health, and form the foundation of animal food chains. From the humble house fly to the industrious bee, each species plays an irreplaceable role in maintaining the delicate balance of our ecosystems.

Protecting Endangered Insects

But there is hope.

Through targeted conservation efforts, agricultural reform, and policy change, we can reverse this trend together. And, while endangered insects deserve protection for their own sake, they also can act as spokespersons for all of the world’s insects. 

SPI works to protect endangered insects through strategic legal, political, and public advocacy, currently focusing on endangered insects in the United States.

Through our Protect Endangered Species initiative, we:

  • Protect critical insect habitats from development and degradation,

  • Advocate for safer agricultural practices like reduced pesticide use, the prevention of pathogen spread, and efficient land use,

  • Support research into endangered insect species and their conservation,

  • Educate communities about the importance of insects and how to protect them,

  • Inform policymakers of opportunities to strengthen legal protections for endangered insects, and

  • Hold governments and corporations accountable for compliance with the Endangered Species Act.

The Society for the Protection of Insects is a proud member organization of the Endangered Species Coalition.

Join us in defending endangered insects.

Whether through supporting our work, cultivating insect-safe spaces in your own backyard, or advocating for policy change in your community, every action counts. The time to act is now.

Together, we can ensure that future generations inherit a world still humming with the vital energy of insects, our planet's smallest but most essential caretakers.

Insects form the foundation of life on Earth.

By number of species, insects are by far the largest class of animals on Earth.

There are more species of longhorn beetle than birds.

There are 387,000 known species of beetles, making beetles 24% of all documented animal species.

There are about the same number of species of ladybugs as mammals.

Insect Species Federally Listed as Endangered or Threatened in the United States

  • Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii Mitchell's satyr butterfly

  • Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle (Threatened)

  • Euphilotes battoides allyni El Segundo blue butterfly

    Apodemia mormo langei Lange's metalmark butterfly

    Lycaeides argyrognomon lotis Lotis blue butterfly

    Icaricia icarioides missionensis Mission blue butterfly

    Speyeria zerene myrtleae Myrtle's silverspot butterfly

    Euphydryas editha quino (E. e. wrighti) Quino checkerspot butterfly

    Callophrys mossii bayensis San Bruno elfin butterfly

    Euphilotes enoptes smithi Smith's blue butterfly

    Speyeria callippe callippe Callippe silverspot butterfly

    Speyeria zerene hippolyta Oregon silverspot butterfly (Threatened)

    Glaucopsyche lygdamus palosverdesensis Palos Verdes blue butterfly

    Euproserpinus euterpe Kern primrose sphinx moth (Threatened)

    Elaphrus viridis Delta green ground beetle (Threatened)

    Desmocerus californicus dimorphus Valley elderberry longhorn beetle (Threatened)

    Euphydryas editha bayensis Bay checkerspot butterfly (Threatened)

    Speyeria zerene behrensii Behren's silverspot butterfly

    Pyrgus ruralis lagunae Laguna Mountains skipper

    Rhaphiomidas terminatus abdominalis Delhi Sands flower-loving fly

    Polyphylla barbata Mount Hermon june beetle

    Cicindela ohlone Ohlone tiger beetle

    Trimerotropis infantilis Zayante band-winged grasshopper

    Pseudocopaeodes eunus obscurus Carson wandering skipper

    Lycaena hermes Hermes copper butterfly (Threatened)

    Bombus franklini Franklin's bumble bee

    Dinacoma caseyi Casey's june beetle

  • Ellipsoptera puritana Puritan tiger beetle (Threatened)

  • Heraclides aristodemus ponceanus Schaus swallowtail butterfly

    Cyclargus thomasi bethunebakeri Miami blue butterfly

    Strymon acis bartrami Bartram's hairstreak butterfly

    Anaea troglodyta floridalis Florida leafwing butterfly

    Cicindelidia floridana Miami tiger beetle

  • Hypolimnas octocula marianensis Mariana eight-spot butterfly

    Vagrans egistina Mariana wandering butterfly

  • Manduca blackburni Blackburn's sphinx moth

    Drosophila aglaia Hawaiian picture-wing fly

    Drosophila heteroneura Hawaiian picture-wing fly

    Drosophila montgomeryi Hawaiian picture-wing fly

    Drosophila mulli Hawaiian picture-wing fly (Threatened)

    Drosophila musaphilia Hawaiian picture-wing fly

    Drosophila neoclavisetae Hawaiian picture-wing fly

    Drosophila obatai Hawaiian picture-wing fly

    Drosophila substenoptera Hawaiian picture-wing fly

    Drosophila tarphytrichia Hawaiian picture-wing fly

    Drosophila hemipeza Hawaiian picture-wing fly

    Drosophila ochrobasis Hawaiian picture-wing fly

    Drosophila differens Hawaiian picture-wing fly

    Megalagrion nigrohamatum nigrolineatum Blackline Hawaiian damselfly

    Megalagrion pacificum Pacific Hawaiian damselfly

    Megalagrion nesiotes Flying earwig Hawaiian damselfly

    Drosophila digressa Hawaiian picture-wing fly

    Megalagrion leptodemas Crimson Hawaiian damselfly

    Hylaeus assimulans Assimulans yellow-faced bee

    Hylaeus longiceps Hawaiian yellow-faced bee

    Hylaeus anthracinus Anthricinan yellow-faced bee

    Megalagrion oceanicum Oceanic Hawaiian damselfly

    Hylaeus facilis Easy yellow-faced bee

    Megalagrion xanthomelas Orangeblack Hawaiian damselfly

    Drosophila sharpi Hawaiian picture-wing fly

    Hylaeus hilaris Hilaris yellow-faced bee

    Hylaeus mana Hawaiian yellow-faced bee

    Hylaeus kuakea Hawaiian yellow-faced bee

  • Lycaeides melissa samuelis Karner blue butterfly

    Somatochlora hineana Hine's emerald dragonfly

    Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee

  • Lycaeides melissa samuelis Karner blue butterfly

    Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii Mitchell's satyr butterfly

    Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee

  • Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee

  • Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle (Threatened)

  • Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee

  • Habroscelimorpha dorsalis dorsalis Northeastern beach tiger beetle (Threatened)

    Ellipsoptera puritana Puritan tiger beetle (Threatened)

    Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee

  • Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle (Threatened)

    Habroscelimorpha dorsalis dorsalis Northeastern beach tiger beetle (Threatened)

    Ellipsoptera puritana Puritan tiger beetle (Threatened)

    Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee

  • Lycaeides melissa samuelis Karner blue butterfly

    Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii Mitchell's satyr butterfly

    Brychius hungerfordi Hungerford's crawling water beetle

    Somatochlora hineana Hine's emerald dragonfly

    Oarisma poweshiek Poweshiek skipperling

  • Lycaeides melissa samuelis Karner blue butterfly

    Hesperia dacotae Dakota skipper (Threatened)

    Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee

  • Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii Mitchell's satyr butterfly

  • Somatochlora hineana Hine's emerald dragonfly

    Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle

  • Lednia tumana Meltwater lednian stonefly (Threatened)

    Zapada glacier Western glacier stonefly (Threatened)

  • Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle (Threatened)

    Cicindela nevadica lincolniana Salt Creek Tiger beetle

  • Ambrysus amargosus Ash Meadows naucorid (Threatened)

    Pseudocopaeodes eunus obscurus Carson wandering skipper

    Icaricia (Plebejus) shasta charlestonensis Mount Charleston blue butterfly

  • Lycaeides melissa samuelis Karner blue butterfly

  • Habroscelimorpha dorsalis dorsalis Northeastern beach tiger beetle (Threatened)

  • Euphydryas anicia cloudcrofti Sacramento Mountains checkerspot butterfly

    Speyeria nokomis nokomis Silverspot (Threatened)

  • Lycaeides melissa samuelis Karner blue butterfly

    Hemileuca maia menyanthevora (=H. iroquois) Bog buck moth

  • Neonympha mitchellii francisci Saint Francis' satyr butterfly

  • Hesperia dacotae Dakota skipper (Threatened)

  • Hypolimnas octocula marianensis Mariana eight-spot butterfly

    Vagrans egistina Mariana wandering butterfly

    Ischnura luta Rota blue damselfly

  • Lycaeides melissa samuelis Karner blue butterfly

    Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii Mitchell's satyr butterfly

    Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle (Threatened)

    Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee

  • Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle (Threatened)

  • Speyeria zerene hippolyta Oregon silverspot butterfly (Threatened)

    Icaricia icarioides fenderi Fender's blue butterfly (Threatened)

    Bombus franklini Franklin's bumble bee

    Euphydryas editha taylori Taylor's (=whulge) checkerspot

  • Atlantea tulita Puerto Rican harlequin butterfly (Threatened)

  • Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle (Threatened)

  • Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle (Threatened)

    Hesperia dacotae Dakota Skipper (Threatened)

  • Nicrophorus americanus American burying beetle (Threatened)

    Batrisodes texanus Coffin Cave mold beetle

    Texamaurops reddelli Kretschmarr Cave mold beetle

    Rhadine persephone Tooth Cave ground beetle

    Heterelmis comalensis Comal Springs riffle beetle

    Stygoparnus comalensis Comal Springs dryopid beetle

    Rhadine infernalis [no common name] beetle

    Batrisodes venyivi Helotes mold beetle

    Rhadine exilis[no common name] beetle

  • Speyeria nokomis nokomis Silverspot (Threatened)

  • Neonympha mitchellii mitchellii Mitchell's satyr butterfly

    Habroscelimorpha dorsalis dorsalis Northeastern beach tiger beetle (Threatened)

    Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee

  • Euchloe ausonides insulanus Island marble butterfly

    Euphydryas editha taylori Taylor's (=whulge) checkerspot

  • Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee

  • Lycaeides melissa samuelis Karner blue butterfly

    Somatochlora hineana Hine's emerald dragonfly

    Hemileuca maia menyanthevora (=H. iroquois) Bog buck moth

    Oarisma poweshiek Poweshiek skipperling

    Bombus affinis Rusty patched bumble bee

  • Zapada glacier Western glacier stonefly (Threatened)