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Funding Information: Royal Entomological Society; UKRI Natural Environment Research Council, Grant/Award Number: NE/V006533/1; Rural & Environment Science & Analytical Services Division of the Scottish Government; ; Alexander von Humboldt Foundation; Department of Agriculture, Environment & Rural Affairs; Center for Environmental and Sustainability Research; FCT/MCTES, Grant/Award Number: UID/AMB/04085/2020; UKRI Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, Grant/Award Number: BBS/E/C/000J0200; UKRI Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership, Grant/Award Number: BB/M011216/1; UKRI Natural Environment Research Council, Grant/Award Number: NE/N014472/2 Funding information Funding Information: This study was approved by the University of Cambridge Psychology Research Ethics Committee (permit number PRE.2020.103). The exercise was funded by the Royal Entomological Society (RES). Helen E. Roy acknowledges support from UK Natural Environment Research Council grant NE/V006533/1 GLobal Insect Threat‐Response Synthesis (GLiTRS): a comprehensive and predictive assessment of the pattern and consequences of insect declines. Lorna J. Cole's time was funded by the Rural & Environment Science & Analytical Services Division of the Scottish Government. Daniel J. Leybourne was supported by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation through a postdoctoral research fellowship. Sajidha Mohammed thanks the RES for providing 1‐year of free student membership which allowed them to contribute to the workshop. Archie K. Murchie was supported by the Agri‐Food & Biosciences Institute which is sponsored by the Department of Agriculture, Environment & Rural Affairs (NI). Maria‐Rosa Paiva receives support from CENSE (Center for Environmental and Sustainability Research), which is financed by national funds from FCT/MCTES (UID/AMB/04085/2020). Chris R. Shortall was supported by the Rothamsted Insect Survey, a National Capability, which is funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council under the Core Capability Grant BBS/E/C/000J0200. Christopher D. Williams thanks the Faculty of Science at Liverpool John Moores University for funding attendance at various Royal Entomological Society meetings. Natalia B. Zielonka was supported by the UKRI Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council Norwich Research Park Biosciences Doctoral Training Partnership (BB/M011216/1). Lynn V. Dicks's time was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (grant code: NE/N014472/2). For the purpose of Open Access, the authors have applied a CC BY public copyright licence to any author accepted manuscript version arising from this submission. We sincerely thank all survey participants for contributing their ideas, knowledge and time. The authors thank four anonymous reviewers, Manu Saunders and Raphael Didham for their comments on an earlier version of the manuscript. For one of our co‐authors and workshop participants, Professor Simon Leather Hon. FRES, this is a posthumous publication. We dedicate this paper to him, as a heartfelt tribute to his incredible contributions to entomological research, higher education and public engagement. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors. Insect Conservation and Diversity published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Royal Entomological Society. Entomology is key to understanding terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems at a time of unprecedented anthropogenic environmental change and offers substantial untapped potential to benefit humanity in a variety of ways, from improving agricultural practices to managing vector-borne diseases and inspiring technological advances. We identified high priority challenges for entomology using an inclusive, open, and democratic four-stage prioritisation approach, conducted among the membership and affiliates (hereafter ‘members’) of the UK-based Royal Entomological Society (RES). A list of 710 challenges was gathered from 189 RES members. Thematic analysis was used to group suggestions, followed by an online vote to determine initial priorities, which were subsequently ranked during an online workshop involving 37 participants. The outcome was a set of 61 priority challenges within four groupings of related themes: (i) ‘Fundamental Research’ (themes: Taxonomy, ‘Blue Skies’ [defined as research ideas without immediate practical application], Methods and Techniques); (ii) ‘Anthropogenic Impacts and Conservation’ (themes: Anthropogenic Impacts, Conservation Options); (iii) ‘Uses, Ecosystem Services and Disservices’ (themes: Ecosystem Benefits, Technology and Resources [use of insects as a resource, or as inspiration], Pests); (iv) ‘Collaboration, Engagement and Training’ (themes: Knowledge Access, Training and Collaboration, Societal Engagement). Priority challenges encompass research questions, funding objectives, new technologies, and priorities for outreach and engagement. Examples include training taxonomists, establishing a global network of insect monitoring sites, understanding the extent of insect declines, exploring roles of cultivated insects in food supply chains, and connecting professional with amateur entomologists. Responses to different challenges could be led by amateur and professional entomologists, at all career stages. Overall, the challenges provide a diverse array of options to inspire and initiate entomological activities and reveal the potential of entomology to contribute to addressing global challenges related to human health and well-being, and environmental change. publishersversion published

Funder: Royal Entomological Society; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100013849, Funder: Rural & Environment Science & Analytical Services Division of the Scottish Government, Funder: Alexander von Humboldt Foundation; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100005156, Funder: Department of Agriculture, Environment & Rural Affairs, Funder: Center for Environmental and Sustainability Research, 1. Entomology is key to understanding terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems at a time of unprecedented anthropogenic environmental change, and offers substantial untapped potential to benefit humanity in a variety of ways, from improving agricultural practices to managing vector-borne diseases and inspiring technological advances. 2. We identified high priority challenges for entomology using an inclusive, open, and democratic four-stage prioritisation approach, conducted among the membership and affiliates (hereafter ‘members’) of the UK-based Royal Entomological Society (RES). 3. A list of 710 challenges was gathered from 189 RES members. Thematic analysis was used to group suggestions, followed by an online vote to determine initial priorities, which were subsequently ranked during an online workshop involving 37 participants. 4. The outcome was a set of 61 priority challenges within four groupings of related themes: (i) ‘Fundamental Research’ (themes: Taxonomy, ‘Blue Skies’ [defined as research ideas without immediate practical application], Methods and Techniques); (ii) ‘Anthropogenic Impacts and Conservation’ (themes: Anthropogenic Impacts, Conservation Options); (iii) ‘Uses, Ecosystem Services and Disservices’ (themes: Ecosystem Benefits, Technology and Resources [use of insects as a resource, or as inspiration], Pests); (iv) ‘Collaboration, Engagement and Training’ (themes: Knowledge Access, Training and Collaboration, Societal Engagement). 5. Priority challenges encompass research questions, funding objectives, new technologies, and priorities for outreach and engagement. Examples include training taxonomists, establishing a global network of insect monitoring sites, understanding the extent of insect declines, exploring roles of cultivated insects in food supply chains, and connecting professional with amateur entomologists. Responses to different challenges could be led by amateur and professional entomologists, at all career stages. 6. Overall, the challenges provide a diverse array of options to inspire and initiate entomological activities, and reveal the potential of entomology to contribute to addressing global challenges related to human health and well-being, and environmental change.