A new point in history has been reached, entomologists say, as climate-led species’ collapse moves up the food chain even in supposedly protected regions free of pesticides
Reports of falling insect numbers around the world are not new. International reviews have estimated annual losses globally of between 1% and 2.5% of total biomass every year.
Widespread use of pesticides and fertilisers, light and chemical pollution, loss of habitat and the growth of industrial agriculture have all carved into their numbers. Often, these were deaths of proximity: insects are sensitive creatures, and any nearby source of pollution can send their populations crumbling.
But what Janzen and Hallwachs are witnessing is a part of a newer phenomenon: the catastrophic collapse of insect populations in supposedly protected regions of forest. “In the parts of Costa Rica that are heavily hit by pesticides, the insects are completely wiped out,” Hallwachs says.
Half Life Tree confirmed
Nothing will meaningfully improve until the rich fear for their lives
Even in the past 3 years there has been a noticeable decline. We moved 4 years ago to where we now live. The first spring and summer the place was buzzing with insects. We actually made the entire garden much more insect friendly but last year there were noticeably less than the previous year and this year it’s just dire. In april I walked around our back garden which was full with flowers and I had to stay in one spot for several minutes before I spotted the first bee. I am incredibly worried and depressed from this. It’s horrifying.
In Central Florida, we were overrun in the Spring with Lovebugs, which were an invasive species. They had sticky, acidic guts which would stick to cars and ruin the paint. Every Spring, stores would have big displays of the liquid to add to your wiper fluid to remove the Lovebugs from your windshield.
Then they disappeared, nearly overnight. A few years ago, the Spring hatching was really light, and it’s been lighter each year. I saw one Lovebugs this year.
The weird thing is, scientists have no idea why, because there is no grant money to study it. They are an invasive species, so we want them to go away. Nobody is going to spend money to find out why.
In the case of Lovebugs, their eradication was a positive outcome, but whatever wiped them out, could wipe out bugs that we want to keep because they are important to the food chain.
I can’t remember where I saw it, but it was a quote from an elderly man who was sad that the vast flocks of birds he saw over the midwest as a child are no longer around. Literally just directly poisoning the earth. Madness.
So… does at least Africa get to take a break from the tsetse fly?
the issue is, nobody cares about insects
Well I do… we need insects for a lot of reasons… but I fail to see what I can do for them. I’ve added a small water area, I don’t mow aggressively and let a portion of my garden absolutely wild… still I’m obviously having an abysmal and unnoticeable effect on the problem. So what now?
Two neighbors where over yesterday and I was pointing out the insect loss I’ve seen in just a few years. They both had their mouths open in shock. “Shalafi, I never thought of that.”
We leave the porch lights on 24x7. Used to get filthy with bugs and there were tree frogs and salamanders camping out all night. Now there are none of the above.
So… You know that leaving the porch lights on 24/7 is part of the light pollution problem that kills insects, right?
