Warning of 'ecological Armageddon' after dramatic plunge in insect numbers

Here is another article about a rather drastic decline in the insect population. This latest study is from protected reserves in Germany with findings, in some case showing a decline up to 75% or more..

Most people do not particularly like bugs and flying insects but there are other critters that depend on them for survival to include plants..
www.theguardian.com...

When the total weight of the insects in each sample was measured a startling decline was revealed. The annual average fell by 76% over the 27 year period, but the fall was even higher – 82% – in summer, when insect numbers reach their peak.

Previous reports of insect declines have been limited to particular insects, such European grassland butterflies, which have fallen by 50% in recent decades. But the new research captured all flying insects, including wasps and flies which are rarely studied, making it a much stronger indicator of decline.

The fact that the samples were taken in protected areas makes the findings even more worrying, said Caspar Hallmann at Radboud University, also part of the research team: “All these areas are protected and most of them are well-managed nature reserves. Yet, this dramatic decline has occurred.”

www.rt.com...

The stark decline in insect populations has placed the world on a path to “ecological Armageddon,” according to a study.

Researchers from Raboud University in the Netherlands made the discovery following a decades-long study of nature reserves across Germany.

Since 1989, the team has been collecting insect samples across 63 sites using mesh tents known as malaise traps. After measuring each year’s samples by weight, scientists found that the average fell by more than 75 percent over the 27-year period. During the summer months, the fall was measured at around 82 percent.

Insects are essential for life on Earth as they act as pollinators and prey for other species. Increased urbanization, habitat loss and pesticide use are being blamed for the declining population.

Caspar Hallmann, a member of the research team at Radboud, described the figures as “very alarming.”

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One of our ATS member posted last year that where he lives the insects have basically bugged out... Evidently it is a world wide type event ?

Whatever kills mosquitoes is good for the planet, in my honest opinion. The only good bug, is a dead bug. Want to know more?

a reply to: wakeupstupid

Nope. If you are a bug proponent, you're either a fool...or a bug.

Well if you believe in evolution or the geologic time scale the earth has seen many mass extinctions of life forms so it may not be the end of the world, just the end of our current ecosystem.

a reply to: 727Sky


The information is out there for those willing to listen, the whole world is changing, there is a massive breakdown going on, all manner of species are disappearing, our ecosystems are collapsing. Its not a pretty picture but not many people care as chasing money is far more important. Sad that we have so much potential as a species yet greed and short sighted behaviours rule......

originally posted by: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
a reply to: 727Sky


The information is out there for those willing to listen, the whole world is changing, there is a massive breakdown going on, all manner of species are disappearing, our ecosystems are collapsing. Its not a pretty picture but not many people care as chasing money is far more important. Sad that we have so much potential as a species yet greed and short sighted behaviours rule......

Whatever takes care of eliminating the bugs...

originally posted by: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
a reply to: 727Sky


The information is out there for those willing to listen, the whole world is changing, there is a massive breakdown going on, all manner of species are disappearing, our ecosystems are collapsing. Its not a pretty picture but not many people care as chasing money is far more important. Sad that we have so much potential as a species yet greed and short sighted behaviours rule......

Yes but you can't change that. All you can do is refuse to join them.

originally posted by: FlukeSkywalker

originally posted by: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
a reply to: 727Sky


The information is out there for those willing to listen, the whole world is changing, there is a massive breakdown going on, all manner of species are disappearing, our ecosystems are collapsing. Its not a pretty picture but not many people care as chasing money is far more important. Sad that we have so much potential as a species yet greed and short sighted behaviours rule......

Whatever takes care of eliminating the bugs...

Once the bugs go so does our ability to grow food, I hope you enjoy eating dirt because that's where we are headed.

originally posted by: SkeptiSchism

originally posted by: hopenotfeariswhatweneed
a reply to: 727Sky


The information is out there for those willing to listen, the whole world is changing, there is a massive breakdown going on, all manner of species are disappearing, our ecosystems are collapsing. Its not a pretty picture but not many people care as chasing money is far more important. Sad that we have so much potential as a species yet greed and short sighted behaviours rule......

Yes but you can't change that. All you can do is refuse to join them.

Indeed, I'm already there....

a reply to: wakeupstupid

Your starship trooper reference was appreciated..
Gave me a good chuckle..

As far as the study goes..

If they never included wasps and flies and other insects before..perhaps the findings only seem askew because they are referencing studies that did not include them and using those studies as a baseline..

I'm not saying the earth isn't evolving..it's been doing so long before we got here.. I'm also concerned with the pesticide issue..that's a real threat..

But this study took place in a protected area so no pesticides..

And again they are making there calculations by weight and they just recently included New insects into the process..

It's late if I read it wrong I apologize..

because as a gardener the loss of pollinators is concerning..

Respectfully,
~ meathead

Could man have evolved without the bug?

OP, come to Wisconsin in the summer. You can't go for a motorcycle ride without getting pelted at night.

hmmm..... theccat this summer had like always the same amount of parasites.
sounds new to me the studdy

You know the grasshoppers sure are gaining an edge of growth here. I wonder what will happen if they eat the rice. Big worry has been the sparrows eating the rice before harvest, but the more I think about it, grasshoppers can really do a lot of damage in 24 hours.

originally posted by: Tempter
Could man have evolved without the bug?

OP, come to Wisconsin in the summer. You can't go for a motorcycle ride without getting pelted at night.

Same here in Japan.

I thought we were supposed to be overrun with insects due to a fungus killing all of the bats?

Who knows what to believe anymore? I sure don't.

Don't insect populations rise and fall in cycles?

I think I read somewhere that all these small creatures have cycles in their population numbers.

Something to do with the interaction with predators.

Goes something like this:

Insects multiply quickly, causing their natural predators to find more food. So, the predator population also rises, until they become so numerous that they begin to eat all the insects. This causes the insects population to fall rapidly. This in turn causes the predators to starve and die off. Then, with the predators greatly diminished, the insects begin to multiply quickly once again.

The cycle repeats over and over.

originally posted by: AMPTAH
Don't insect populations rise and fall in cycles?

I think I read somewhere that all these small creatures have cycles in their population numbers.

Something to do with the interaction with predators.

Goes something like this:

Insects multiply quickly, causing their natural predators to find more food. So, the predator population also rises, until they become so numerous that they begin to eat all the insects. This causes the insects population to fall rapidly. This in turn causes the predators to starve and die off. Then, with the predators greatly diminished, the insects begin to multiply quickly once again.

The cycle repeats over and over.

Yes you should have covered that back in school, its called the food chain.....

God Damned Hillary.

The Evil one walks among us!

The poor spiders in those regions must be feeling the pain.Literally the pain of hunger.

Theres no shortage of bugs in Texas. Maybe we should export them.