“The Disappearance of Insects” will be the theme of the next Science Bar

[Press Release] - Published on January 16, 2025 in Press Room, Science and Society

On January 23, starting at 8:30 p.m., the next Science Bar event organized by the University of Montpellier will take place. For this edition, Julien HARAN (CBGP, CIRAD), a taxonomic entomologist, Antoine FRAIMOUT (CBGP, INRAE), an evolutionary geneticist specializing in ecology and population genetics, and Ennaloël MATEO-ESPADA (OPIE), a research officer at the Office for Insects and Their Environment , will discuss the topic “Wasps, bugs, and midges: Is the decline of insects really that serious? ".

The Bar des sciences has become one of Montpellier’s flagship events for science culture, offering a monthly participatory public discussion on all aspects of science from January through June. Throughout the season, scientists are invited to engage in a dialogue where their knowledge and practices are not only shared but also open to discussion. The season is co-produced by the scientific culture departments of the University of Montpellier and its partners: INRAE, INSERM, and IRD. Sign language interpretation is provided for this event. Free admission, subject to availability.

A Science Bar dedicated to the disappearance of insects

The decline of insects, a phenomenon that has received widespread media attention, raises some crucial questions: What are the causes of this decline? What impact does it have on our environment and our daily lives? And why does this issue—despite its fundamental importance—still seem to be given so little attention? For more than twenty years, scientists have been sounding the alarm, but the issue is still too often ignored.

Yet the data is clear: in European farmlands, insect populations have plummeted by 70 to 80 percent, a decline that is accelerating. While these small creatures are often seen as pests, they play a fundamental role in pollination, pest control, and soil fertility. Ignoring this decline risks disrupting an entire ecological balance.

To discuss this topic at the intersection of science and society, three experts from various disciplines will answer questions from the audience:

• Julien HARAN (CBGP, CIRAD), a taxonomic entomologist for the past 10 years, specializes in the study of weevils—a group of plant-eating beetles—to better understand their role in tropical agrosystems

• Antoine FRAIMOUT (CBGP, INRAE), an evolutionary geneticist specializing in population ecology and genetics, focuses in particular on the adaptation of invasive species to environmental changes
• Ennaloël MATEO-ESPADA (OPIE), a research fellow at the Office for Insects and Their Environment and a passionate entomologist, shares her love of insects and photography with the public through podcasts, articles, and lectures

Free admission, subject to availability.