02 Feb Citizen science programme suggests dramatic decline in Essex insect numbers
New analysis of data from the 2022 Bugs Matter survey, run by conservation charities Kent Wildlife Trust and Buglife, supported by Essex Wildlife Trust, suggest alarming declines in insect numbers in Essex: the number of flying insects sampled on number plates by citizen scientists has declined by a massive 60% since 2004.
The news comes just a week after the UK Government announced the permitted use of the banned pesticide thiamethoxam (a neonicotinoid) on sugar beet crops in England for the third year running, even after advocating for a global pesticide reduction target at the UN COP15 Biodiversity Conference in Montreal in December 2022. A single teaspoon of the neonicotinoid pesticide is enough to kill 1.25 billion bees.
The Bugs Matter Citizen Science Survey uses an innovative method for the large-scale surveying of flying insect abundance across the UK. The survey runs every summer and involves citizen scientists recording the number of insect splats on their vehicle number plates following a journey. Counting insects not only gives an estimate of the abundance of insect life but is also a measure of the health of the environment, so when their numbers fall it is an indication that nature is in trouble.
What’s more, insect declines appear to be happening at a similar rate in Essex compared to the rest of the UK, where a 64% decline in the number of bug splats on number plates was also recorded across the same time period.
The diverse habitats across Essex support several rare and unusual insects such as shrill carder bees, the distinguished jumping spider, stag beetles and heath fritillary butterflies.
The results from the Bugs Matter surveys inform a growing requirement for conservation research, policy and practice targeted at insects. It is also hoped that the survey method could be adopted in other countries, with citizen scientists across the planet taking part to compile a hugely valuable global dataset.
The Bugs Matter team are now busy with upgrades to the app in time for the 2023 survey season, including a trial of artificial intelligence to automatically detect the number of insect splats on a number plate. Participation in the 2022 Bugs Matter survey in Essex was fantastic: the number of journeys increased from 242 to 277 between 2021 and 2022. It is hoped that the survey will continue to grow each year.
Dr Lawrence Ball from Kent Wildlife Trust said: “We are pleased that so many citizen scientists in Essex have signed up to the Bugs Matter app! The data we’re generating means that for the first time we can get a county-wide estimate of how insect populations are changing over time. The results from these first few years are concerning, but we need more citizen scientists to record more journeys across more of our road network every year, to understand the long-term trends in insect numbers in Essex.”
Andrew Whitehouse from Buglife said: “For the second year running, Bugs Matter has shown potentially catastrophic declines in the abundance of flying insects in Kent and across the UK. It doesn’t have to be this way, but urgent action is required to address the loss of the diversity and abundance of insect life. We need to make more space for wildlife and reconnect the wild parts of our landscapes, and we must free our land and freshwaters from pesticides and other pollutants.”
Bailey Tait from Essex Wildlife Trust said: “We can all help to bring bugs back from the brink by taking small but important actions in our own gardens. Planting any size of wildflower patch is a create place to start as this gives insects food, shelter and places to breed. Providing wildlife with water is another important step in transforming your garden into a haven for wildlife. Small ponds can even be made from on old container filled with rainwater. Whether your actions are big or small, they all add up and make a big difference for insects. And since insects prop up our entire ecosystem, your actions will benefit all wildlife!”
The 2023 Bugs Matter survey season will begin on 1 June 2023. Those keen to get involved can download the free Bugs Matter app now to sign up for next year’s survey:
Apple Store: https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/bugs-matter/id1525891356
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.natural_apptitude.bugsmatter&gl=US&pli=1
