'Terrifying': British windshield 'splatometer' study finds 60 percent drop in flying insect populati

[multigraincracker]

https://www.alternet.org/2022/05/splatometer-study-flying-insect-populations/

A survey published this week analyzing bug splat on U.K. motorists' license plates found that the nation's flying insect population has declined by nearly 60% over the past 17 years, indicating a "terrifying" loss of biodiversity among the planet's most numerous class of species.

"There is a growing amount of evidence of widespread insect population decline. These declines could have catastrophic impacts on the Earth's natural environment and our ability to survive on the planet," warns a summary of the Bugs Matter Citizen Science Survey, which was conducted by Buglife and the Kent Wildlife Trust (KWT).

"However, there has not been enough data to draw robust conclusions about trends in insect populations in the U.K., because standardized surveys are not used for all insect groups or at a national scale," the publication continues. "Our study demonstrates the use of an innovative method for widespread monitoring of insect 'splat rate' to investigate changes in insect populations in the U.K. over a 17-year timeframe."

[TreasonousBastard]

1. Well, my own unscientific count of bugs and skeeter bites...

sez we have hardly any bugs this year. I imagine the city still has its roach allocation, but they are not known to pollinate anything.

[Random Boomer]

2. Year after year decline

Anecdotally, just based on our back yard census, my wife and I have noticed the same decline over the past 20 years we've lived at our current home.

There was a time when we couldn't leave the back door open because of the influx of insects. The past few years, we can prop it open for hours without any noticeable home invasion.

[tecelote]

3. The Inesct Apocolypse. There have been similar studies.

I remember whenever we went on a long trip, you had to clean your windshield when you got gas. I haven't needed to clean my windshield in decades.

As we all know, if bugs die off, we all die off.

Big Ag wants us to believe that pesticides are not the culprits but I think even they know they are lying to keep profits rolling in.

Permaculture, using beneficial insects, and small local farms are a few of the answers.

Buy local and organic whenever possible.

[multigraincracker]

4. I like a little, local Amish store near by.

Great local produced food and less packaging. The only red meat I buy is lamb and goat. Grass fed and local.

[cstanleytech]

5. I'm not sure how scientific this is unless the drivers also drove the same amount in the countryside

as urban areas like inner cities are hardly ideal grounds for insects to thrive.

[multigraincracker]

6. Leaves out a whole lot of variables.

Need just one model of car, the same year, at lots of different locations, to begin with.

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. The study does go into a lot of detail about that - "Collating explanatory variables" section

https://www.kentwildlifetrust.org.uk/sites/default/files/2022-05/Bugs%20Matter%202021%20National%20Report.pdf

This is observed on the front number plate - a standard size across all vehicles, but they do also categorise by vehicle type, which should eliminate any appreciable effect of height above ground. There's also analysis of journey time of day, length and speed; in 2004, they had the start and end points of each journey, and used a mapping tool to assume a route; in 2019, they used GPS on an app to get that certain. They use that to work out the amount of vegetation on the route.

[SCantiGOP]

8. The first car I owned in the 70s

did not have a windshield washer function. I kept a squeegee and sponge next to my driveway with the hose, and anytime I drove for a while at night it was automatic to clean the windshield. No need to do that anymore.