Insects killed by car and the impact on natures balance

reply to post by Ben81


What exactly is a natural balance? Every animal that ever lived uses some form of life for food. Humans are no different than anything that came before in that regard. Enviromental changes that change the balance of life on the planet has been happening since the planet formed. Natural events have caused more species to go extinct than us humans ever will. Some studies say that life really took off about about 500 million years ago. Assuming that is true, how many of the first life forms still exist? Extinction level events have come and gone, yet here we are. We are but another step in the everchanging constant that is the earth. One dies off and another replaces it. Nature has always balanced itself and it will always do so. That we try to keep everything the same as it is, is unnatural in my opinion. Dinasoaurs didn't pave roads or burn fossil fuels or create plastic, yet they are gone. Our time will come regardless of what we do. That is not to say that we as a species shouldn't take action to improve our real quality of life( cleaner air and renewable ressources for example) but should also remember to adapt to change as much as possible.

reply to post by Mianeye
[color=7D7D7D]The following post BEGINS with a complete disregard to this ongoing argument of whether or not this is a good thing, or a bad thing. That has no relevance to this thought.


Yes, there are many insects killed by vehicles, but I don't see how the figures that came out from this very small test group, can be in any way reliable.

[color=CFECEC]250 drivers to count the number of squashed insects on their front licence plates per distance travelled. After some [color=CFECEC]simple math, van Vliet has arrived at a figure that is nothing short of astronomical.

.........With 200 million cars in the US, driven an average of 12,500 miles per year, the entire nation travels approximately 2.5 trillion miles annually, and [color=CFECEC]kills around 32.5 trillion insects in the process!

'Simple math,' when combined with a very small localized test group, will not result in accurate figures for a world-wide scale.

Even if the figures gathered out of this small group, are accurate, it would still be extremely easy to manipulate them in whichever way you wanted. Location is also a very important factor, that will make a drastic change in the results. Talking about insects, ←this way, or that way→, could make a huge difference.

It is cooling off here now, but back in May, when this study began, I could easily manipulate the figures so that they would accommodate whichever result I desired. I could drive 50-100 miles north, and only end up with a few smudges on my windshield. Or I could drive a couple miles down to the river, and have thousands within minutes. Careful with those wipers, it might just get worse. Don't even try it, unless you know for a fact that your washer fluid is completely full, and functioning properly.


Of course there are billions killed, all around the world, all the time, but this particular study is ridiculous and unreliable.

Next May, we can go for a hike, over the hill and back down to the river. Nice and fresh mud. If you have never heard a mosquito laugh, bring a can of bug spray. A cigar, along with a couple burning cigarettes, is a decent quick method. Much more efficient than dousing yourself with poison, and healthier too(..maybe.. its a toss-up).

Even with that, I guarantee that you would leave those woods thinking that there are far too many mosquitoes that survive, and we need to do whatever we can, to unite, and work together to kill a hell of alot more of 'em.


[color=7D7D7D]I am going to leave it, but obviously I had to slightly edit my initial statement. I wasn't gonna go there, but once my mind journeyed back down the other side of that hill, any and/or all likeable insect qualities, was replaced with 'Kill em all.'

I live out in the country, and to get anywhere, it's all highway travel. I have massive amounts of bugs - whatever flies - on the grill of my truck. In the spring here when certain types of insects travel field to field, and you're driving through clouds of the bugs, it's really messy.

That said, because the population of this province is small, and most of the towns are small, there are little birds that eat the bugs off your car/truck everytime the truck is standing still. They don't do it at home, but in town, little birds are all over people's vehicles.

Just like whatever roadkill there is, it's feeding other creatures, usually birds, big ones on the roadkill, and little ones eating off peoples vehicles.

reply to post by snowspirit


Adaptation is the key. These birds have found another way to obtain their food supply, given the change to their enviornment.

If I may be permitted to be absolutly silly for a moment. I will remove at Op's request if asked. Given the saying that you don't bleep where you eat, is there a reduction in bird doo on the cars? That's been a pet peeve of every car owner I know.
Sometimes the stupidest thoughts enter our minds. End of silliness.

reply to post by halffinger4


They seem to mostly sit on the bumper and flit around the grills, so there isn't any bird dooo left on the vehicles from this, which is good. I get more bird stuff parking in my open garage, than anywhere else.

reply to post by BrokenCircles

You did point out the obvius, which i should have put in the OP.
That the numbers are not accurate, and didn't take Trucks, planes, trains even bicycles in to the calculation either.
Thats why its called average, and assumption which is mentioned in the article.

Weather like hot summer, wet summer should have been there to.

You also forgot the For fun part in your edit.

For fun, I'll work through van Vliet's formula with US driving statistics. With 200 million cars in the US, driven an average of 12,500 miles per year, the entire nation travels approximately 2.5 trillion miles annually, and kills around 32.5 trillion insects in the process!

But thanks anyway for pointing out that flaw.

reply to post by snowspirit


Yep, the bugs will do a number on your paint job too.

Ever wonder what they're thinking? Like what's the last thing that went through their head? It's their butt.

This is a fascinating discussion! It's so neat to see that others think the way that I do.... taking everything into consideration. All creatures great and small.

Since my van died I have had to return to riding my Honda scooter through-out long country highways in Florida........ so..... I am right there with this death and mutilation of our flying friends and foes. Up close and personal. It's been on my mind a lot lately. Just on my helmets visor alone can be witnessed battlegrounds akin to those from the movie "BraveHeart".

It's amazing what you can learn actually. Certain areas attracting certain swarms... where to slow down to try to avoid them, etc.

This time of year, Dragon-Flies are swarming low. They are in certain spots each evening. I used to hit two on my way to work every evening but now that I've learned, I hit none. I have even pulled off the side of the road just to watch them at times and hear their flight.

So many things around us that too many people do not even notice. We are missing out on so much.

reply to post by Mianeye

You did point out the obvius, which i should have put in the OP.

Obvious or not, I didn't see where anyone else had even mentioned it. Most of what I read, was a debate about whether this is a good thing, or not. Well that, and also the discussion about the nutritional value of cremated human bodies lol.

Thats why its called average, and assumption which is mentioned in the article.

Sorry, but that is incorrect. Averages are based off of actual numbers. Some counts are high, and some are low. The average is then found, and it will be somewhere in the middle.

That averages to two insects killed (in that particular area of the vehicle) for every 6.2 miles traveled.

The average is 2, for this area of the vehicle, of 250 participants, and while traveling 6. 2 miles, and while in this small section of the planet, and during this time of the year........

All of the other large numbers, that come after that, are estimates.
Estimates aren't reliable, which is the reason for this short phrase:

assume for simplicity

Assume for simplicity, is not much different than saying:
"Meh, it's a guess. Not a wild guess, but a guess nonetheless."

You also forgot the For fun part in your edit.

I didn't forget. I removed the entire sentence, and replaced it with "........."


I absolutely love 'Irony.' Now that is not necessarily directly related to this particular conversation, but it is indirectly related, through irony's cousin, known as 'Sarcasm.' I love sarcasm too (at times). Irony really likes to spell it all out with big bold letters, to make sure nobody misses it. Sarcasm though, he can be a sneaky little bugger, especially when he wiggles himself into 'typed-words only,' which lack any actual physical interaction.

After saying that, my next comments, could possibly appear to be sarcastic, but they are not. This is 100% sincere:[color=C4FFC6] You got me. I'm stumped on this↓ one.

But thanks anyway for pointing out that flaw.

[color=C4FFC6]I honestly do not know if that was sarcasm, or not. I'm really not even sure if I still wanna know. I was leaning more towards sarcasm, but was still back & forth so I just stopped trying to figure it out. Either way~> Well said. I enjoyed that. The mystery of not knowing, is almost as loveable as sarcasm, and irony themselves.

The choice is yours now. Not unlike squashing a bug on the windshield, you could smash this enjoyment of mine, by telling me which way it was actually meant.

I would rather you didn't though, so I will leave it at this~ [color=A1E0FF]You're welcome.

reply to post by BrokenCircles

I guess you are right, in a way

The last bit...Well...Twinkle twinkle little star

Thanks again, for comming back and explain.