By Nathan Reagle, Clean Energy Program Advocate, Sierra Club Pennsylvania Chapter
Native land-dwelling insects are critical to agricultural and natural systems because of the services they provide. Many crops and some timber trees, like our beautiful black cherry, depend on insect pollination. Insects also provide natural pest control, nutrient cycling, and are food for other critters. Finally, some insects are just appreciated for being themselves. The monarch butterfly is a great example of a lovable insect.
The bad news: There is no state agency responsible for the native land-dwelling insects in Pennsylvania.
The good news: there are multiple bills addressing plant and insect conservation in Pennsylvania!
House Bill 426 calls for the prioritization of native plants for landscaping at state facilities. Think of all the state office buildings currently surrounded by lawns as opportunities to provide native vegetation for native pollinators and other insects throughout the state. This bill also directs the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) to make their planting and seeding guidance available to other state agencies interested in providing native habitat at their facilities. This bill highlights DCNR’s native plant expertise.
House Bill 441 is an amendment to the Wild Resource Conservation Act and closes a gap in natural resource conservation in Pennsylvania by addressing insects that are not currently assigned to a commonwealth agency. The bill assigns native terrestrial invertebrates to DCNR, allowing the department to designate native invertebrates as threatened or endangered; a critical need for conservation efforts. Having an agency responsible for insects would also give a voice to invertebrate conservation and enable more effective inter-agency collaboration.
What can you do to help? There are plenty of options. You can start by reducing pesticide use, using “insect friendly” outdoor lighting, and planting native plants. Insect friendly lighting is shielded to direct the light downward where it is needed, and is usually a warmer hue or yellowish. Finally, people can also contact their local legislators and tell them about the importance of native terrestrial insects.
This blog was included as part of the March 2025 Sylvanian newsletter. Please click here to check out more articles from this edition!