I don't know of any study, but I suspect someone is thinking about it seriously. Until recently no entomologist thought that vehicles were making an impact (no pun intended) on insect populations, but lately, some are indicating that they are not so sure. The increase in vehicles and the decrease in insects means we need to start thinking about it as a problem.
We once drove north out of Mexico at the height of the Monarch butterfly migration south to their wintering grounds. It was horrible watching them smash into the windshield. Never forgotten it.
Interesting that there are actually insects on the grill... as was thinking last night, as we drove back from C&Es.... just how FEW insects there were in the headlights. When I first started driving it was always a major job to get rid of the flysquat off the windscreen, bonnet and headlights.... and that was only a real Mini.... the other day a beetle met its end on the windscreen.... the fact that I remember it as a sole incedent, just shows how few insects there are... to collide with!!
It's becoming very obvious that insect numbers are declining. It's rare to stand near a tree or bush these days and see it covered in butterflies or hear it humming with bees and flies.
The butterfly in the centre of the grill (and the two others just like it) is a close relative of the Monarch. Any of the species that migrate or are very gregarious are probably very vulnerable to vehicle strike if their path crosses a road.
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Was there any study ever conducted on the impact of traffic anywhere on insects populations? Or is it possible at all?
I don't know of any study, but I suspect someone is thinking about it seriously. Until recently no entomologist thought that vehicles were making an impact (no pun intended) on insect populations, but lately, some are indicating that they are not so sure. The increase in vehicles and the decrease in insects means we need to start thinking about it as a problem.
We once drove north out of Mexico at the height of the Monarch
butterfly migration south to their wintering grounds. It was horrible
watching them smash into the windshield. Never forgotten it.
Interesting that there are actually insects on the grill...
as was thinking last night, as we drove back from C&Es....
just how FEW insects there were in the headlights.
When I first started driving it was always a major job to get rid of the flysquat off the windscreen, bonnet and headlights....
and that was only a real Mini....
the other day a beetle met its end on the windscreen....
the fact that I remember it as a sole incedent, just shows how few insects there are...
to collide with!!
It's becoming very obvious that insect numbers are declining. It's rare to stand near a tree or bush these days and see it covered in butterflies or hear it humming with bees and flies.
The butterfly in the centre of the grill (and the two others just like it) is a close relative of the Monarch. Any of the species that migrate or are very gregarious are probably very vulnerable to vehicle strike if their path crosses a road.
Our lime must be one of those rare trees then....
it gets very noisy underneath!!
But yes, I do agree...
Like Tim I have noticed there are less to clean off the grill these days.
Your linden is indeed a notable exception.
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