Achi news desk-
Conservationists warned that the dramatic falls in flying insects were a “red flag” for the state of nature in the UK that should not be ignored.
The Bugs Matter survey is based on the windscreen phenomenon – anecdotal evidence from drivers that they are collecting fewer moths, flies, aphids, bees and flying bugs on their windscreens than they did in the past.
The conservation groups said that insects pollinate crops, provide natural pest control, break down waste, recycle nutrients and underpin food chains, without which Earth’s ecological systems would collapse.
But they are on the decline due to habitat loss and destruction, climate change, pollution and the use of pesticides – with increasing evidence these have caused significant declines in insect numbers in the UK and around the world, conservationists have warned.
The now annual survey asks members of the public to record the number of flying insects that hit their number plate, and compares it with data from an RSPB analysis in 2004 which used the same methods.
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Since the original survey in 2004, records from almost 26,500 journeys across the UK have been analysed.
To take part in the scheme, drivers cleaned their number plate before making an essential journey, recorded the route on their mobile phone, and then counted the insects that hit it using a “grid splatometer” provided as part of the survey.
They then submitted a photo and account details through the Bugs Matter app and the data was converted into “splats per mile” to make it comparable between trips.
Around 6,637 journeys were made in 2023, and the results showed that England had the biggest drop of 83% between 2004 and 2023, with the biggest drop recorded in London, where there was a drop of 91%.
Wales saw a 79% reduction and Scotland a 76% reduction over the same period, while Northern Ireland – which has limited data – saw a 54% reduction between 2021 and 2023, the results revealed.
Dr Lawrence Ball from the Kent Wildlife Trust said: “These results are of great concern, particularly if insect splats are an accurate measure of insect populations.
“This is a red flag for the state of nature in the UK that should not be ignored.
“A drop in the number of flies sampled by more than 75% in less than two decades is very alarming, and we are seeing fewer flies being sampled every year.”
Andrew Whitehouse, from Buglife, said: “The latest Bugs Matter data suggests that the number of flying insects in our countryside has fallen dramatically.
“The consequences can be far-reaching, not only affecting the health of the natural world, but affecting so many of the free services that nature provides us.”
He said the findings were similar to studies that had documented declines in insect numbers around the world.
Mr Whitehouse added: “Human activities continue to have a huge impact on nature – habitat loss and destruction, pesticide use, pollution, and climate change all contribute to the decline of insects.
“Society must listen to the warning signs of ecological collapse, and take urgent action to restore nature.”
