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. 2023 Jun 1;21(6):e3002138.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002138. eCollection 2023 Jun.

Is it time for insect researchers to consider their subjects' welfare?

Andrew Crump  1   2 , Matilda Gibbons  3 , Meghan Barrett  4 , Jonathan Birch  1 , Lars Chittka  3
Affiliations

Is it time for insect researchers to consider their subjects' welfare?

Andrew Crump et al. PLoS Biol. .

Abstract

Recent evidence suggests that at least some insect species might plausibly feel pain. These findings should prompt researchers to think about the welfare implications of insect experiments.

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Conflict of interest statement

I have read the journal’s policy and the authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests: MB reports a relationship with Rethink Priorities that includes: consulting.

References

    1. Eisemann CH, Jorgensen WK, Merritt DJ, Rice MJ, Cribb BW, Webb PD, et al. Do insects feel pain?—A biological view. Experientia. 1984;40:164–167.
    1. Gibbons M, Versace E, Crump A, Baran B, Chittka L. Motivational trade-offs and modulation of nociception in bumblebees. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022;119:e2205821119. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2205821119 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Gibbons M, Crump A, Barrett M, Sarlak S, Birch J, Chittka L. Can insects feel pain? A review of the neural and behavioural evidence. Adv In Insect Phys. 2022;63:155–229. doi: 10.1016/bs.aiip.2022.10.001 - DOI
    1. Birch J, Burn C, Schnell A, Browning H, Crump A. Review of the evidence of sentience in cephalopod molluscs and decapod crustaceans. London: Defra; 2021. Available from: https://www.lse.ac.uk/business/consulting/reports/review-of-the-evidence....
    1. Groening J, Venini D, Srinivasan MV. In search of evidence for the experience of pain in honeybees: A self-administration study. Sci Rep. 2017;7:45825. doi: 10.1038/srep45825 - DOI - PMC - PubMed

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