Bug Splat survey shows ‘potentially catastrophic declines’ in insect numbers

A project that asks people to count the squashed insects on their car license plates suggests that flying insects have declined by nearly two-thirds in less than 20 years.

The Bugs Matter citizen science survey, run by conservation charities Kent Wildlife Trust and Buglife, found a 64% decline in the number of insects splattered on vehicle number plates between 2004 and 2022 across the UK. .

The situation had worsened even since last year, when the poll recorded a nearly 59% drop in numbers since 2004.

Experts said it was unclear how much of the five percentage point drop between 2021 and 2022 was due to long-term trends or the result of record-breaking summer temperatures, but they suggested climate change played a role in both problems.

Conservation groups said the insects provide essential services, sustaining food chains, pollinating most of the world’s crops and providing natural pest control and that without them, humans’ ability to survive on Earth would be threatened.

They are in decline due to habitat loss and damage, climate change, pollution of rivers and streams, pesticide use, and development; With mounting evidence, this has caused significant drops in insect numbers in the UK and around the world, conservationists have warned.

The now-annual survey asked members of the public to record the number of flying insects squashed on their number plate, and compared this to data from an RSPB analysis in 2004 using the same methods.

Before taking an essential journey in their vehicle, the drivers cleaned their license plate, recorded the route on their mobile phone and then counted the insects squashed on it using a ‘splatometer grid’ supplied as part of the survey.

They then submitted a photo and counted the details via the Bugs Matter app and the data was converted to “splashes per mile” to make it comparable between trips.

Data collected from the scheme revealed continued declines in insect splash in England, with a 68% reduction compared to 2004, seven percentage points worse than the 61% drop in 2021.

Wales experienced a 75% drop in the number of insect splashes this summer, significantly worse than the 55% drop of 2021, compared to 2004 figures.

But Scotland saw something of a reversal of the trend, with a 40% decline compared to 2004, better than the 2021 figures, where there was a 49% drop from the 2004 figures.

The findings were released as ministers meet in Montreal for the UN Cop15 nature summit, with the goal of reaching an agreement to halt and reverse the loss of wildlife and habitat by 2030.

Andrew Whitehouse, Buglife’s head of operations, said: “For the second year in a row, Bugs Matter has shown potentially catastrophic declines in the abundance of flying insects.

“Urgent action is required to address the loss of insect diversity and abundance.

“We will look forward to our leaders at Cop15 taking decisive action to restore nature at scale, both for wildlife and for the health and well-being of future generations.”

Evan Bowen-Jones, chief executive of the Kent Wildlife Trust, said: “Thanks to citizen scientists across the country, we are building a better picture of the health of our insect populations and are already seeing some worrying patterns in the data.

“However, we need more citizen scientists to participate in the Bugs Matter survey next year and beyond, to understand if we are seeing real long-term trends or the impact of the extreme temperatures we are facing in 2022.

“Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s survey. We look forward to even more citizen scientists contributing to this valuable data set in the 2023 survey period and beyond.”

Conservationists say ways to help insects include saving pesticides, being less tidy in the garden to provide them with more habitat, using peat alternatives to slow climate change and taking steps to reduce your carbon footprint.

The 2023 survey will start on June 1 of next year and people can download the free app now to sign up.