Insects are dying off at record rates — an ominous sign we're in the middle of a 6th mass extinction

• Roughly 40% of the world's insect species are in decline, a new study said.
• The die-offs are happening primarily because insects are losing their habitats to farming and urbanization. The use of pesticides and fertilizers is also to blame, as is climate change.
• The study's authors said the repercussions of this loss of Earth's insects could be catastrophic.
• The rapid shrinking of insect populations is also a sign that the planet is in the midst of a sixth mass extinction. 

Somehow, it's easier to be concerned about wolves, sea turtles, and white rhinos dying off than it is to feel remorse over vanishing bugs. But the loss of insects is a dire threat — one that could trigger a "catastrophic collapse of Earth's ecosystems," a new study said. The research, the first global review of its kind, looked at 73 historical reports on insect declines around the world and found the total mass of all insects on the planets is decreasing by 2.5% per year. If this trend continues unabated, the Earth may not have any insects at all by 2119. "In 10 years you will have a quarter less, in 50 years only half left and in 100 years you will have none," Francisco Sanchez-Bayo, a study coauthor and researcher at the University of Sydney, told The Guardian. That's a big problem because insects are food sources for countless bird, fish, and mammal species. Pollinators such as bees and butterflies also perform a crucial role in fruit, vegetable, and nut production...MORE 

It could be that people are doing just what the United Nations recommended, they are eating the damn things. Some governments like Sweden are really serious about this. See  Swedish Govt Spends Millions Telling Citizens To Eat Insect “Meat” To End Climate Change

All of this led me to speculate several years ago on the pros and cons of being an insect rancher. I wrote: 

Some university types and all the DC Deep Thinkers want ag producers to be early adopters and enter in to the latest management and production techniques.

Let’s analyze what this would bring us if we established an insect ranch.

We’d be way ahead on capital outlays and annual production costs:

° Instead of ropes all you need is a flyswatter

° You can brand with a toothpick

° Use thimbles for water tanks and popsicle sticks for fences

° You can trade your trailer for a matchbox, and

° Switch from bedeezers to tweezers

Like any new operation there will be challenges.  For instance, how do you preg test a Praying Mantis?

But there would be fun things too.  For instance, think of all the fun you’ll have marketing maggot meat.

I see one big drawback though:  instead of calf fries on the campfire you’ll be having grasshopper gonads on your cigarette lighter.

Finally, the experts are really big on diversification.  In addition to your insect ranch I would recommend you diversify by having…an ant farm.