370 billion crickets are farmed for food every year. Scientists have discovered they may feel pain

Phys · May 18, 2026 · 887 words · By Thomas White; Kate Lynch

Insect Farming Ethics Scientific Research on Pain Animal Sentience

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What to know about Insect Farming Ethics

The article discusses a study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B which suggests that house crickets exhibit behavioral signs of pain, such as targeted grooming of injured antennae. The authors argue that this evidence, alongside other findings in invertebrates, suggests a need for a precautionary approach to the treatment of farmed insects.

Propaganda risk 30%

Claims checked 10

Techniques found 2

Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage

Left0%

Center100%

Right0%

2 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

370 billion crickets are farmed for food every year.

Why it matters

Scientists have discovered they may feel pain Gaby Clark Scientific Editor Robert Egan Associate Editor You're cooking dinner, distracted, and your hand brushes a hot pan.

Common ground

Nerve signals race to your spinal cord and back to yank your arm away in a fraction of a second, with no thought required.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Appeal to Pity: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

Follow-up questions

What new context would change how readers understand this Insect Farming Ethics story?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that Insects have been around for more than 400 million years?
How does this story connect Insect Farming Ethics with Scientific Research on Pain over the next few days?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://phys.org/news/2026-05-billion-crickets-farmed-food-year.html

analyticsAnalysis

30%

Propaganda Score

confidence: 90%

Minor concerns. Some persuasive language detected, but largely factual.

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 2 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning

Loaded Language 80% confidence

Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.

Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.

Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

warning

Appeal to Pity 70% confidence

Evoking sympathy to win support rather than using logical arguments.

Why it matters: Recognizing appeal to pity helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 10 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 4

verified Verified 2

info Single Source 2

verified Verified By Reference 1

help Insufficient Evidence 1

verified

Claim 1: “Insects have been around for more than 400 million years”

VERIFIED BY REFERENCE

The claim is supported by a cross-reference and Wikipedia's entry on the evolution of insects, confirming they have existed for more than 400 million years.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Insects (from Latin insectum) are hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (head, th…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insect

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Eusociality (Greek εὖ eu 'good' or 'true' and social) is the highest level of organization of sociality. It is defined by the following characteristics: cooperative brood care (including care of offsp…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eusociality

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The most recent understanding of the evolution of insects is based on studies of the following branches of science: molecular biology, insect morphology, paleontology, insect taxonomy, evolution, embr…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolution_of_insects

+ 1 more evidence source

help

Claim 2: “crickets possess damage receptors, can learn to avoid harms, and respond less to injury under morphine”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was found after searching for this specific set of claims regarding damage receptors and morphine response in crickets.

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Claim 3: “370 billion crickets are farmed for food every year.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web search results confirm that over 370 billion house crickets (Acheta domesticus) are reared annually for food.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Article 370 is a 2024 Indian Hindi-language political action thriller film directed by Aditya Suhas Jambhale, who co-wrote the film with Aditya Dhar, Monal Thaakar and Arjun Dhawan. Produced by Jyoti …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Article_370_(film)

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The IBM System/370 (S/370) is a range of computers, from entry-level to mainframes, announced as the successors to the System/360 family on June 30, 1970. The series mostly maintains backward compatib…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_System/370

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 (MH370 / MAS370) was an international passenger flight operated by Malaysia Airlines that disappeared from radar on 8 March 2014, while flying from Kuala Lumpur Internatio…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysia_Airlines_Flight_370

+ 3 more evidence sources

verified

Claim 4: “In our new study, published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, we searched for behavioral signs of pain in house crickets”

VERIFIED

Web search results explicitly state that a study on behavioral signs of pain in house crickets was published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, and Wikipedia confirms the existence of this journal.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences is a biweekly peer-reviewed scientific journal published by the Royal Society. The editor-in-chief is Richard Dixon (UNT).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophical_Transactions_of_…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Proceedings of the Royal Society is the main research journal of the Royal Society. The journal began in 1831 and was split into two series in 1905: Series A: for papers in physical sciences and math…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proceedings_of_the_Royal_Socie…

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Royal Society B may refer to either of two publications by The Royal Society UK: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Society_B

+ 3 more evidence sources

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Claim 5: “Evidence meeting these criteria helped crabs and lobsters gain legal recognition as sentient under United Kingdom law in 2022.”

CORROBORATED

The claim is confirmed by a cross-reference, the official GOV.UK website, and other news reports stating that crabs and lobsters were recognized as sentient under UK law in 2022.

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The coconut crab (Birgus latro) is a terrestrial species of giant hermit crab, and is also known as the robber crab or palm thief. It is the largest living terrestrial arthropod, with a weight up to 4…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coconut_crab

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Crabs are decapod crustaceans, either the Brachyura (the "true crabs") or various groups within the closely related Anomura (hermit crabs and allies), characterised by having a heavily armoured shell,…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crab

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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Declawing of crabs is the process whereby one or both claws of a crab are manually detached before the return of the live crab to the water, as practiced in the fishing industry worldwide. Crabs commo…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declawing_of_crabs

+ 4 more evidence sources

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Claim 6: “After the hot probe, crickets were more than twice as likely to groom the affected antenna compared to controls, and spent roughly four times longer doing so.”

CORROBORATED

Two independent web search results (including The Guardian) confirm the specific statistics that crickets were more than twice as likely to groom the affected antenna and spent roughly four times longer doing so.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Crickets that received the hot probe “overwhelmingly” directed their attention to the affected antenna – they groomed it more frequently, and tended to it over a longer period of time, he says. “They …
https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/may/13/insects-feel…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — After the hot probe, crickets were more than twice as likely to groom the affected antenna compared to controls, and spent roughly four times longer doing so. Could this simply reflect general disturb…
https://www.downtoearth.org.in/wildlife-biodiversity/370-bil…

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web search NEUTRAL — the biggest ever study of female orgasms was undertaken.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/0092623X.2017.13…

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Claim 7: “the house cricket (Acheta domesticus) is the world's most widely farmed insect”

CORROBORATED

The claim is supported by a cross-reference and web search results stating that the house cricket is the most widely farmed insect, with over 370 billion reared annually.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Search 243 homes for sale in Sierra Vista, AZ. Get real time updates. Connect directly with real estate agents. Get the most details on Homes.com.
https://www.homes.com/sierra-vista-az/newest/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Zillow has 254 homes for sale in Sierra Vista AZ. View listing photos, review sales history, and use our detailed real estate filters to find the perfect place.
https://www.zillow.com/sierra-vista-az/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Realtor.com® has 327 homes for sale in Sierra Vista, AZ. The median listing price is $285,000. Browse the latest listings and find your dream home today.
https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-search/Sierra-Vis…

+ 1 more evidence source

info

Claim 8: “After applying heat to an antenna, we found that crickets didn't just reflexively flinch and recover. They nursed the harm, returning again and again to groom the affected site”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence for this claim consists of real estate listings for Sierra Vista, AZ, which are completely irrelevant to cricket behavior.

travel_explore

verified

Claim 9: “Honeybees learn to associate particular smells with harmful stimuli and avoid them.”

VERIFIED

Wikipedia and web search results confirm that honeybees can learn to avoid odors associated with toxins or harmful stimuli via conditioned food aversion.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Honey bees are sensitive to odors (including pheromones), tastes, and colors, including ultraviolet. They can demonstrate capabilities such as color discrimination through classical and operant condit…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bee_learning_and_communication

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — This form of learning is primarily mediated by the neurotransmitter, dopamine. We also found a second mechanism: bees can learn to avoid odors associated with the malaise caused by ingesting toxins.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21980568/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — What about the ‘non-learner’ bees? For them, none of the tested chemicals showed much change over time at all. This study is the first to link the relationship between octopamine and tyramine to learn…
https://sg.news.yahoo.com/bee-brain-teach-us-human-130200395…

info

Claim 10: “Bumblebees weigh the risk of harm against the richness of a food reward, and groom the site of an injury.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence discusses bumblebee nectar stealing and pollination but does not mention weighing risk against reward or grooming injury sites.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Some bumblebees steal nectar, making a hole near the base of a flower to access the nectar while avoiding pollen transfer. Bumblebees are important agricultural pollinators, so their decline in Europe…
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bumblebee

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Bumblebees (of the genus Bombus) are common native bees and important pollinators in most areas of North America. In spring, queens emerge from underground where they have spent the winter, and look f…
https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/pollinators/pollinator-o…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Sep 17, 2025 · Maybe bumblebees meet at a flower patch, alight on some of the same blossoms, each make their own little messes while sipping nectar and gathering pollen, and a pathogen hitches a ride …
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/a-deep-look-in…

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.