Scientists engaged with insect diversity have one of the greatest challenges in biology today. While the 20th century has witnessed perhaps the most dramatic change in insect systematics since the development of the optical microscope, serious challenges await us. Hennig’s conceptual advance revolutionized how we interpret relationships among species, and the history of this revolution is briefly reviewed. The impact, pro and con, that DNA sequencing has had on phylogenetics and classical systematics is briefly discussed. The role of morphologically-based systematics and faunistics is considered, including the significance of paleontological work and the study of extinct taxa. Societal pressures for the future of insect systematics are serious, and it is highly unlikely that exploration will keep pace with the loss and poisoning of natural habitats and their species.