The long-term decline in the number of flying insects being splattered on cars after a journey is well recognised by older drivers. But the latest survey has revealed that the number of insects found on vehicle number plates has plummeted by 63% since 2021.
An analysis of records from more than 25,000 journeys across Britain since 2021 reveals an alarming apparent drop in flying insect abundance, although the rate of decrease slowed in 2024.
Bug splats on the numberplates of citizen scientists using the Bugs Matter app for the Kent Wildlife Trust and Buglife survey declined 8% from 2023 to 2024, after sharper drops of 44% in 2023 and 28% in 2022.
How about worms on the ground after a rain. Remember those? The earth is dying.
The real problem is that cars are becoming more aerodynamic.
More cubes, More splats, for Science!
Get a water habitat on your land even a balcony can have a pot pond.
Last year was an absolute wash out, so wet and grey for so long. It’ll probably be worse again at next year’s count. Hopefully the warm dry weather atm will help a little.
Windshield phenomenon
The windshield phenomenon (or windscreen phenomenon) is the observation that fewer dead insects accumulate on the windshields and front bumpers of people’s cars since the early 2000s. It has been attributed to a global decrease of insect populations caused by human activity, e.g. use of pesticides.
Apparently the Kent Wildlife Trust found the opposite to be true:
The research also found that modern cars, with a more aerodynamic body shape, killed more insects than boxier vintage cars.
