Insects & Spiders: India's Hidden Biodiversity Crisis

Insects and spiders are fundamental to ecological balance and biodiversity, emphasized Eshaan Pahade, founder-director of the Entomon Institute of Invertebrate Zoology. Speaking at a lecture in Dharwad, Pahade highlighted that community involvement in documenting these invertebrates can greatly aid biodiversity efforts.

Spider expert Atharva Kulkarni noted that India has over 4,000 spider species, but only about 2,000 are identified, raising concerns about undocumented extinctions. He advocated for systematic documentation involving citizen scientists.

An environmental education center is being developed at Nature First Eco Village, which will include specialized areas for butterflies, spiders, bees, and other insects, underscoring a growing recognition of their ecological importance.