HARRISBURG, PA — Legislation sponsored by State Rep. Chris Pielli, D-Chester, aimed at protecting pollinators and other native insect species in Pennsylvania, has passed the state House of Representatives. House Bill 441 would expand state authority to better conserve endangered insects and help prevent further ecological decline.
Pennsylvania is home to 77 known endangered insect species, including critical pollinators such as bumblebees and monarch butterflies. Scientists have documented alarming declines in insect populations worldwide, with studies showing flying insect biomass down by more than 75% over recent decades. In the U.S., monarch butterfly populations have dropped by as much as 95%, and nearly a quarter of wild bee species face potential extinction.
Under Pielli’s proposal, the Wild Resource Conservation Act of 1982 would be amended to grant the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) authority over terrestrial insect species. The measure would allow the state to take proactive conservation steps before federal protections become necessary, coordinate with federal agencies, and secure funding for recovery programs. It would also promote interagency collaboration on issues such as habitat management, highway planning, and light pollution.
“Since the 1990s, the population of monarch butterflies in North America has declined by 95%. They are now an endangered species,” Pielli said. “Without insects and pollinators like the monarch butterfly, flowers and crops cannot survive. To ensure human welfare, we must protect them.”
Pielli emphasized that the bill supports Pennsylvania’s constitutional commitment to preserving its natural and environmental resources while safeguarding the state’s agricultural and ecological balance.
House Bill 441 now moves to the state Senate for further consideration.
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