Insect decline could cause 'collapse of nature'

[UM-Bot 7,395]

A new comprehensive review has highlighted a worrying decline in insect populations across the world.

https://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/news/325511/insect-decline-could-cause-collapse-of-nature

[AstralHorus 242]

As a life long amateur entomologist, this has me the most worried about climate change and our pollution of the earth. Getting rid of one of the most crucial link in the circle of life will have dire consequences.

[The Wistman 4,366]

Here in the Hudson Valley it's been quite noticeable the last decade or so.  Local people deny it when I question them, even though they admit they don't really have to clean the bug splat off their windshields and headlights anymore.  Nor do they notice the lack of butterfly species diversity we once enjoyed, and the small numbers of those that still remain...which is the most obvious of absences.  Apathy is a horrible component to all of this.

[Nnicolette 1,650]

Thats true I haven't noticed bugs on my car anymore. The food chain is about to take a plunge.

[Doug1o29 5,068]

Start of an ecosystem collapse?  Or maybe just nicotinoids?  Or Monsanto getting rich?

Doug

[Tatetopa 8,652]

Funny isn't it. We seem to be worried about the the "other" political party or religion or a foreign nation threatening us when it might be insects or a lack of them that might be a bigger worry.

Edited February 11 by Tatetopa
typing cut off in mid-sentence at posting. Unknown cause.

[RoofGardener 11,095]

when I was a seedling back in the 1980's, any car journey in the summer would involve hundreds of insects kamikazi'ing themselves on the car windscreen. 

Not so any more. I hardly have ANY. 

That is a BIG change. 

[openozy 1,222]

No use whinging about it, people should have put up with the odd hole in their apple.Suck it up humanity and enjoy the blemish free fruit of our temporary World.

[paperdyer 1,587]

I'd hate to see some of those go.  Can we get the common house fly on the list?

[AstralHorus 242]

On 2/11/2019 at 5:43 PM, openozy said:

No use whinging about it, people should have put up with the odd hole in their apple.Suck it up humanity and enjoy the blemish free fruit of our temporary World.

There’s so much wrong with this statement, at the least there won’t be any apples to eat with a major collapse of such a vital role in the eco system.

[openozy 1,222]

1 hour ago, AstralHorus said:

There’s so much wrong with this statement, at the least there won’t be any apples to eat with a major collapse of such a vital role in the eco system.

I'm thinking they will find other ways to pollinate plants,but as I said its temporary.Can't see anything wrong with the statement.Without insects every living thing is doomed.

[toast 12,825]

Every summer I sow meadow flowers on my balcony to feed and entertain the bumblebees and up until 2017 there was always a lot of traffic here, but in 2018 almost 5% of it. Thats not good.

[Doug1o29 5,068]

The first thing we need to do is figure out exactly what is happening.  It won't do any good to rush right out and do the wrong thing.  We could make the situation worse, or more likely, waste a lot of time and money on ineffective actions.

Doug

[lightly 5,853]

It's all connected.  It is worrisome.     As a young bug, on a lake in the forest, I remember a super abundance of all sorts of wildlife....now that same area is deathly quiet in comparison.      It's sad.

[Raptor Witness 1,090]

The bugs are in peril, I suspect due in part, to chlorine use by humans.

I have no proof, just a suspicion from my own research.

However, they are far more adaptable than us, so I’m not worried about them. It is we who are in very real danger of a collapse.

Edited February 15 by Raptor Witness