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OT: Warning of 'ecological Armageddon' after dramatic plunge in insect numbers

----------------------------------------------------------------------- Three-quarters of flying insects in nature reserves across Germany have vanished in 25 years, with serious implications for all life on Earth, scientists say.

anecdotally used to suggest a major decline, with people remembering many more bugs squashed on their windscreens in the past.

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I have noticed the same thing. When I used to drive across country, my windshield would get clogged with bugs. The wipers were not good enough to wash them off. I would have to stop and clean the windshield with a scraper.

Now I can cross the same territory and not get a single bug.

I must mention that many of the freeways I use go though long areas of federal forests. These used to be full of bugs, now there are none. I'm sure there are no pesticides applied in these forests.

I also notice in the spring, there are a lot fewer birds nesting in the area. The songs at sunrise have noticeably faded.

Has anyone else noticed these things? Why are they happening? What are the consequences?

Reply to
Steve Wilson
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Warning of 'ecological Armageddon' after dramatic plunge in insect numbers

Three-quarters of flying insects in nature reserves across Germany have vanished in 25 years, with serious implications for all life on Earth, scientists say

Another way of sampling insects - car windscreens - has often been anecdotally used to suggest a major decline, with people remembering many more bugs squashed on their windscreens in the past.

"I think that is real," said Goulson. "I drove right across France and back this summer - just when you'd expect your windscreen to be splattered all over - and I literally never had to stop to clean the windscreen."

Repost to fix wierd font error that made very small unreadable fonts.

Reply to
Steve Wilson

Maybe the bugs are smarter now? Survival instincts cause them to avoid roadways?

Cheers

Reply to
Martin Riddle

often been

y

ight across France and back

be splattered all

.?

to

he

Or modern cars are more streamlined and do not get as many bug collisions.

Dan

Reply to
dcaster

ften been

ght across France and back

e splattered all

?
o

e

What?s Causing the Sharp Decline in Insects, and Why It Matters

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Reply to
bloggs.fredbloggs.fred

Or collection traps.

--

John Larkin         Highland Technology, Inc 
picosecond timing   precision measurement  

jlarkin att highlandtechnology dott com 
http://www.highlandtechnology.com
Reply to
John Larkin

Could be all those CFL and LED lights are attracting them.

Cheers

Reply to
Martin Riddle

The Dimocrats think they're a delicacy ?>:-} ...Jim Thompson

--
| James E.Thompson                                 |    mens     | 
| Analog Innovations                               |     et      | 
| Analog/Mixed-Signal ASIC's and Discrete Systems  |    manus    | 
| STV, Queen Creek, AZ 85142    Skype: skypeanalog |             | 
| Voice:(480)460-2350  Fax: Available upon request |  Brass Rat  | 
| E-mail Icon at http://www.analog-innovations.com |    1962     |
Reply to
Jim Thompson

often been

y

ight across France and back

be splattered all

.?

to

he

We ate fried grasshoppers in Africa. Or was it Asia? Anyway, they were damn good.

Cheers, James Arthur

Reply to
dagmargoodboat

They all moved to the American Midwest...bugs have always had open borders :-)

Reply to
Bill Martin

Steve Wilson wrote on 10/18/2017 5:47 PM:

The formatting errors are all in your reader. This is plain text and contains no formatting information.

I think the casual analysis of insect populations by anecdotal evidence belongs in the same garbage pail with John Larson's denial of global warming because they still get snow in Truckee.

Doesn't anyone get a proper education in the scientific method anymore?

But now that you mention it, I do seem to recall more insects on my windshield 40 years ago. I remember more in my teeth too because I was driving a motorcycle. You can always tell a happy motorcyclist by the bugs in his teeth.

--

Rick C 

Viewed the eclipse at Wintercrest Farms, 
on the centerline of totality since 1998
Reply to
rickman

-
e

s often been

any

right across France and

o be splattered all

en.?

--

m
e

and

I was

the

Having ridden since I was 18 (66 now), almost exclusively on my various motorcycles (rain, shine, & snow) I can assure you that this happy motorcyclist is warm and dry behind a full fairing, reflective gear, and

a helmet that protects me from bugs, splatter, rocks, etc. so I can concentrate on honing my remaining skills and enjoying the ride instead of watching out for bugs that sting or splat in my eye! (OK, a very long

run-on sentence)

Ever had a wasp fly up your sleeve at 75MPH on a crowded freeway? Not fun! Gauntlets for this boy.

Stung in the chest on another freeway buy another annoyed wasp when I was young? Fully vented armoured jacket for me now!

John

Reply to
John Robertson

obviously the bugs are being killed off by the cars

m
Reply to
makolber

snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com wrote on 10/19/2017 1:33 PM:

You mean the bugs don't survive the impact? Never??? Oh, the humanity! I mean the buganity!

--

Rick C 

Viewed the eclipse at Wintercrest Farms, 
on the centerline of totality since 1998
Reply to
rickman

What's the last thing that went through the bee's mind when it hit the windshield?

It's arse (US TRANSLATION: ass)

--
Cheers, 
Chris.
Reply to
Chris

Long distance truckers also say the same thing. Their windshields are a lot cleaner than before.

The frightening thing is scientists don't know why it is happening. This could turn out to be very serious.

Reply to
Steve Wilson

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