Half-a-million insect species face extinction: scientists

The disappearance of bugs that fly, crawl, burrow, jump and walk on water is part of a gathering mass extinction event. [AFP/File / Julian Stratenschulte]

Half of the one million animal and plant species on Earth facing extinction are insects, and their disappearance could be catastrophic for humankind, scientists have said in a "warning to humanity".

"The current insect extinction crisis is deeply worrying," said Pedro Cardoso, a biologist at the Finnish Museum of Natural History and lead author of a review study published Monday.