October 20 – 26 2025
As part of Open Access Week, we’re taking a moment to highlight what makes our Society journals so vital — not just for scientists, but for everyone who cares about insect science, biodiversity, and the public good.
Open access (OA) means that anyone, anywhere, whether in a university, a government lab, a school, or simply out of personal curiosity, can read peer-reviewed research without a paywall. Our articles are also free to share and reuse under Creative Commons licences, helping knowledge spread and be built upon. Many research funders now require OA, since publicly funded science should be publicly available.
This year’s Open Access Week theme, “Who Owns Our Knowledge?”, invites us to reflect on how research is created, accessed, and shared, and who benefits from the knowledge produced across our scientific communities. For insect science, these questions have never been more important.
Open Access as a Public Good
Open access (OA) means that anyone, anywhere — whether in a university, a government lab, a school, or simply curious — can read peer-reviewed research without a paywall. Our articles are also free to share and reuse under Creative Commons licences, helping knowledge spread and be built upon. Many research funders now require OA, since publicly funded science should be publicly available.
Our Society journals exist to advance entomology for the benefit of all. For us, Open access (OA) ensures that entomological research is not restricted to those who can afford subscriptions or institutional access. Instead, scientists, students, policymakers, farmers, conservationists, and the wider public can freely engage with new findings that impact everything from biodiversity to food security and more.
When research is openly accessible:
- Researchers worldwide, including those in lower-resource settings, gain equal access to essential knowledge.
- Early-career scientists receive greater visibility, leading to more citations, collaborations and opportunities.
- Teachers, students and schools can use high-quality science without facing financial barriers.
- Conservation practitioners and policymakers can act on the best available evidence.
- Citizens and community scientists can meaningfully participate in research and environmental action.
How RES Journals Support a Global Community
The Royal Entomological Society’s seven journals, published with Wiley, remain a vital platform for high-quality, peer-reviewed entomology.
While they operate under a hybrid model, the proportion of OA articles continues to grow each year, making more insect science accessible to a global audience.
As funding models evolve and more organisations mandate OA, we are committed to ensuring transitions remain fair, transparent and inclusive, especially for authors without access to institutional APC funding.
- For researchers in low-resource settings: By offering OA options, we help scientists whose institutions may lack subscription funds.
- For early-career entomologists: Open access allows their work to be read, cited, and used more widely — giving them greater visibility.
- For educators, policymakers and practitioners: Teachers, conservationists, farmers, and decision-makers can access cutting-edge insect science without cost barriers, supporting evidence-based action.
Who Owns Our Knowledge?
This year’s theme challenges all of us to consider the roles of researchers, institutions, publishers, and societies in shaping the flow of knowledge.
As a charity and learned society, we believe that knowledge about insects – the lifeforms that underpin ecosystems and human wellbeing – belongs to everyone.
Our role is to safeguard rigorous publishing standards while enabling the widest possible access to the science that matters.
Our Current Approach and Future Plans
All seven of our journals, published in partnership with Wiley, include both subscription and open-access content. Over recent years, the proportion of OA articles has grown significantly. According to our most recent annual report, over 50% of articles published are now openly accessible.
We recognise that fully transitioning to Gold OA (where authors pay an article processing charge instead of readers paying subscriptions) comes with challenges — especially for researchers without access to APC funding. That’s why we are working with Wiley to ensure such a change, if it happens, happens equitably.
Why Supporting Our Journals Helps Everyone
The income from our journals isn’t just about publishing – We reinvest in education programmes, training, outreach, conservation, grants, and community-building across the entomological world.
By publishing with, reviewing for, and reading our journals, you are helping sustain the global entomological community.
Join the Conversation and Get Involved
- Authors: If you’re preparing a manuscript, consider submitting your research to our journals and consider open access options. Your work can reach a global audience.
- Reviewers: Help us maintain excellence in entomological publishing and influence the future direction of insect science.
- Readers: Explore, stay informed and share high-quality open access articles with your networks.
- Members: Support our mission to advance insect science for all.
Together, open access isn’t just a publishing model — it’s a pathway to a more inclusive, connected, and informed scientific community.
As we celebrate Open Access Week 2025, we reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that entomological knowledge remains accessible, equitable, and globally shared.
