[manarth]

It sounds like scientists thought about it, decided that their niche would quickly be filled by other insects - "Life would continue as before — or even better":

- http://www.nature.com/news/2010/100721/full/466432a.html

- http://blog.chron.com/sciguy/2010/07/scientists-go-ahead-kil...

- https://cogito.cty.jhu.edu/43255/up-for-debate-should-we-era...

Of course, whether it's ethically right is worth considering, as is the possibility that the scientists have missed some unintended consequence.