title: Massive yet grossly underestimated global costs of invasive insects.
abstract: Insects have presented human society with some of its greatest development challenges by spreading diseases, consuming crops and damaging infrastructure. Despite the massive human and financial toll of invasive insects, cost estimates of their impacts remain sporadic, spatially incomplete and of questionable quality. Here we compile a comprehensive database of economic costs of invasive insects. Taking all reported goods and service estimates, invasive insects cost a minimum of US$70.0 billion per year globally, while associated health costs exceed US$6.9 billion per year. Total costs rise as the number of estimate increases, although many of the worst costs have already been estimated (especially those related to human health). A lack of dedicated studies, especially for reproducible goods and service estimates, implies gross underestimation of global costs. Global warming as a consequence of climate change, rising human population densities and intensifying international trade will allow these costly insects to spread into new areas, but substantial savings could be achieved by increasing surveillance, containment and public awareness.
authors.affiliation: Ecologie, Systématique et Evolution, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 91400 Orsay, France.|School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia.
authors.forename: Corey J A
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Bradshaw
authors.affiliation: Ecologie, Systématique et Evolution, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 91400 Orsay, France.|UMR 7208 Biologie des Organismes et des Ecosystémes Aquatiques, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Université de Caen Basse-Normandie, CNRS, IRD, Sorbonne Universités, 43 rue Cuvier, 75005 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Boris
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-7686-4302
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Leroy
authors.affiliation: Ecologie, Systématique et Evolution, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 91400 Orsay, France.|Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, Centre for Biodiversity and Environment and Research, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bellard
authors.affiliation: MIVEGEC, Université de Montpellier-IRD224-CNRS5290, 911 Avenue Agropolis, 34394 Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Roiz
authors.affiliation: Ecologie, Systématique et Evolution, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 91400 Orsay, France.
authors.forename: Céline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Albert
authors.affiliation: Ecologie, Systématique et Evolution, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 91400 Orsay, France.
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fournier
authors.affiliation: Ecologie, Systématique et Evolution, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 91400 Orsay, France.
authors.forename: Morgane
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barbet-Massin
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire Montpellierain d'Économie Théorique et Appliquée, Centre national de recherche scientifique, Institut national de recherche agronomique, SupAgro, Université de Montpellier, UPVM3, 34060 Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Salles
authors.affiliation: MIVEGEC, Université de Montpellier-IRD224-CNRS5290, 911 Avenue Agropolis, 34394 Montpellier, France.
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Simard
authors.affiliation: Ecologie, Systématique et Evolution, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 91400 Orsay, France.|Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, 621 Young Drive South, Los Angeles, California 90095-1606, USA.|Center for Tropical Research, Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, La Kretz Hall, University of California Los Angeles, California 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Franck
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Courchamp
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D004777:Environment; D014943:Global Health; D017048:Health Care Costs; D005102:Health Expenditures; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors; D007313:Insecta; D058865:Introduced Species; D020049:Isoptera; D018803:Models, Economic; D010571:Pest Control / Q000191:economics*; D011640:Public Policy