Graduate Student University of Illinois Champaign, Illinois
Insects have long been used for scientific research and experimentation. They have been collected by the millions, bred, reared, and killed to better understand a wide variety of topics including ecology, physiology, genetics, taxonomy and phylogeny, and pest management. Certain species, like Drosophila melanogaster, are also frequently used as model organisms. Insects overall have contributed greatly to scientific advancements and although insects aren’t the only animal test subjects, they are one of the few groups of animals without a strict ethical guideline determining how we as scientists treat them. For other organisms like rodents and larger mammals, there are many federal laws and agencies governing how we acquire, house, and treat laboratory animals. The Guidelines for Ethical Conduct in the Care and Use of Nonhuman Animals in Research developed by the American Psychological Association is one such example. There are both positive benefits and negative impacts when working with insects but currently, there are no similar guidelines designed specifically for the use of insects in research settings. Notwithstanding, researchers have come forward to discuss the ethical treatment of insects in modern societies and whether we should consider these regulations when working with them. The arguments presented in this debate will address whether insects are being treated ethically in scientific research today.
