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> Moths aren’t just pretty to look at; they’re also important pollinators and a major source of food for birds and bats. But moths, like insects overall, are de
by zeagle 2y ago
> Moths aren’t just pretty to look at; they’re also important pollinators and a major source of food for birds and bats. But moths, like insects overall, are declining in both raw numbers and species diversity. Eckerman says recent studies have shown at least a 30 percent decline in insect abundance around the world over the past few decades. The likely culprits are pesticides and the loss of habitat to urban development. A threat to insects such as moths is a threat to the plants they pollinate and all the creatures above them in the food chain.
It's amazing the drop in biodiversity of insects that comes from habitat destruction, monoculture, pesticide (ab)use. As a kid we'd drive across the prairies and have to wipe literal goop off the windshield and side view mirrors at each gas station...
We planted native prairie plants throughout our yard roughly sequenced that something is always flowering. This morning I saw at least a dozen wild bees on one bunch of goldenrod* and nothing on the annuals next to it.
* https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/species-risk-public-registry/management-plans/riddells-goldenrod-2015.html https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services... (not invasive for my region)
- 2cynykyl 2y agoI remember the first time someone pointed out this lack of bug splatter to me and I was a bit scared about humanity's fate, but then someone else pointed out that our cars are a LOT more aerodynamic now. Not sure which side to land on here.
- frereubu 2y agoThis UK study used number plates, which haven't changed form between the two years (2004 and 2021), and have found a decline of just under 60%. Aerodynamics may have something to do with it, but I know from driving through insect-abundant areas recently that you still get plenty of splatter in modern cars. Overview: https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2022/may/uks-flying-insects-have-declined-60-in-20-years.html https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2022/may/uks-flying-inse... Study PDF: https://cdn.buglife.org.uk/2022/05/Bugs-Matter-2021-National-Report.pdf https://cdn.buglife.org.uk/2022/05/Bugs-Matter-2021-National...
- doikor 2y agoThe number plate is still attached to the car and thus the shape of the rest of the car affects how air moves over it. How much is hard to say. Aerodynamics is just hard but basically as the car moves through air it pushes air out of the way and this air also pushes other air out of the way and thus elements next to each other will effect each other.
- bongodongobob 2y agoIt's the very front point of the car, that should be perfectly fine unless the plate or bumper is at some kind of an angle.
- zeagle 2y agoI have to say seems like wishful thinking. Sure cars have changed and aren't insect traps but at 80km/h bugs splatter on a windshield. The decline of insect biomass has been well reported, e.g. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29045418 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29045418 although not uniform. I've spent some time in northern areas where the bugs are bad!
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- mikestew 2y agoThe aerodynamics of our ‘81 VW camper van haven’t changed in 43 years (basically a barn door). We get significantly less bug splatter on the windshield than, say, 20 years ago. And though I can’t find the link again, it has been claimed that a more aerodynamic vehicle should get more bug splatter. I don’t remember why, attack angle maybe?
- maxerickson 2y agoAnother factor is that the right of way for highways is generally cleared further back (I guess for things like deer strikes). Insects have to go a long way out into a heat island to get to the center of the right of way these days.
- p3rls 2y agoYou notice it with a motorcycle helmet too, lol, if you rode in the past vs now. Only so aerodynamic those badboys can get.
- pnw 2y ago>Moths aren’t just pretty to look at Interestingly I know two people who are absolutely terrified of moths and cannot stand to even be in the same room.
- munificent 2y agoI'm one as well. I realize it's an entirely irrational phobia. Moths, caterpillars, and grubs absolutely horrify me. It's something to do with them having a combination of exoskeleton-like insect-y parts and soft, fuzzy, or squishy non-insect-y parts. Actual bugs are OK (though I don't particularly like them). Snails are fine. Slugs are... less fine but tolerable. Moths, caterpillars and grubs make my skin crawl. Sea slugs are the absolute worst. Phobias are so weird.
- pnw 2y agoYou're not alone. In the two cases I know, it's siblings who had a bad childhood experience, and now are both terrified of moths and butterflies. Their idea of hell is a butterfly exhibit!
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- duckmysick 2y agoOn the other hand, the box tree moth seems to be doing fine - to the dismay of many gardeners. And boy oh boy can they ravage boxwood hedges. Unfortunately, insecticides are the only effective option in Europe and America. In Asia (where it's native) there are some natural predators, so the damage is limited. Birds aren't interested in the caterpillars. Some types of hornets are, but introducing them into non-native habitat brings other problems. Hotter than normally springs and falls don't help either; the moth thrives in the warmer weather and can go through as many as four cycles (generations) during a single year. https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/terrestrial/invertebrates/box-tree-moth https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/terrestrial/invertebrate... https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant-pests-diseases/box-tree-moth https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant-pests-diseases/box-tree-mot...