Plummeting insect numbers 'threaten collapse of nature'

The Guardian ^ | 2/10/19 | Damian Carrington

[LibWhacker]

The world’s insects are hurtling down the path to extinction, threatening a “catastrophic collapse of nature’s ecosystems”, according to the first global scientific review.

More than 40% of insect species are declining and a third are endangered, the analysis found. The rate of extinction is eight times faster than that of mammals, birds and reptiles. The total mass of insects is falling by a precipitous 2.5% a year, according to the best data available, suggesting they could vanish within a century.

The planet is at the start of a sixth mass extinction in its history, with huge losses already reported in larger animals that are easier to study. But insects are by far the most varied and abundant animals, outweighing humanity by 17 times. They are “essential” for the proper functioning of all ecosystems, the researchers say, as food for other creatures, pollinators and recyclers of nutrients.

Insect population collapses have recently been reported in Germany and Puerto Rico, but the review strongly indicates the crisis is global. The researchers set out their conclusions in unusually forceful terms for a peer-reviewed scientific paper: “The [insect] trends confirm that the sixth major extinction event is profoundly impacting [on] life forms on our planet.

“Unless we change our ways of producing food, insects as a whole will go down the path of extinction in a few decades,” they write. “The repercussions this will have for the planet’s ecosystems are catastrophic to say the least.”

[mad_as_he$$]

Ok. Don’t remember those radical swings as a kid. Of course kids don’t care.

[shelterguy]

Ok. Don’t remember those radical swings as a kid. Of course kids don’t care.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And back then it was just weather. I spent my first 35 years in North Dakota. We knew it could be really cold in the winter and we just dealt with it. Now they name the cold days.
Everything is sensationalized now. Everything.

[Mr. Lucky]

The science is settled.

[Mr. Lucky]

The science is settled.

[minnesota_bound]

I traveled from Minnesota to California and my car was covered in every insects there was. I guess I helped exterminate them...

[bert]

“It takes guts to do this” said the bug as it hit the windshield

“I’ll bet you don’t have the guts to do it again” replied the windshield

[minnesota_bound]

Mary Chapin Carpenter, The Bug
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hW_maN0eSs

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

That being said, about the only bug I no longer see down here is the firefly. I haven't seen a firefly in at least 30 years. :(

Come to my house in the summer and you will see a whole bunch of them.

Fireflies need standing water to reproduce and long grass to hid in during the day.

In built up places you get fined for having both of those things in your yard.

[SunkenCiv]

Yeah, I was worried about them too. Obviously this is just more global warming hoax fake research.

[logi_cal869]

The reason no study can make any valid conclusions is that they all look at a single compound.

I’ve been arguing for a few years that things are getting precipitous due to a synergy of effects from multiple sources, including neonicotinoids.

Best advice I have for anyone is eat all organic. Sadly, insects, bees and soil biota will crash before the problem is acknowledged or the causes isolated. Imho

[damper99]

Chemlawn ended the fireflies. Along with the monthly fertilier is a strong dose of insecticide.