By Nate Reagle, Clean Energy Program Advocate, Sierra Club Pennsylvania Chapter
You may have heard native insects are declining globally, nationally, and in Pennsylvania. Insect decline and loss is happening faster than the decline of other species. This issue has largely flown under the radar in Pennsylvania, partly because there is no state agency responsible for insects.
The time for a responsible agency is now. Let’s recall that Pennsylvania is fortunate to have its own Environmental Rights Amendment, which states “… the Commonwealth shall conserve and maintain…” Pennsylvania’s natural resources for all the people.
Think of this situation like a town where houses are burning down. The need for a fire department is immediate. There is no justification to wait until an ideal fire department with brand new trucks and a fully staffed compliment can be acquired. The fire department is needed now, even if it is not the perfect fire department. You don’t have the luxury of waiting for the perfect fire department if your house is on fire. The same principle applies to insect conservation and a responsible agency. We don’t have the luxury of waiting for the perfect insect conservation program when our insects are already declining and disappearing.
Thankfully, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) is already doing most of what is needed for an insect conservation program. Along with the Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program, DCNR is monitoring, surveying, and ranking insects according to rarity.
Unfortunately, one huge gap in conservation still exists. DCNR does not have the ability to designate insect species as threatened or endangered. Hopefully, legislation will soon fix this gap. As a first step, House Resolution 66 was recently passed, which initiates a study on insect conservation in Pennsylvania and paves the way for legislation granting DCNR legal authority to manage insect conservation programs.
This blog was included as part of the June 2026 Sylvanian newsletter. Please click here to check out more articles from this edition!