When someone pointed this out to me. I remembered as a child the insect splats on the car during travels, but hardly any more. Is it a sign that insects are dying out?
1 Like
Didn’t we have another thread on this? Fireflies started by slammer?
1 Like
I definitely notice far fewer insect splats on Swiss motorways than in Germany or France. The last time I drove to Strasbourg, there was enough DNA on my front bumper to reboot Jurassic Park.
1 Like
Maybe it is just me, but walking around I’ve seen a huge increase in the number of small lizards / gekkos. Maybe they are eating all the insects.
Although there doesn’t seem to be a decline in the number of bitey insects, especially horse flies. They even manage to bite through cycling clothes.
I assumed there were more lizards as the climate was getting warmer.
I had never seen any in our garden a couple of years ago and now I see loads everyday.
1 Like
I remember noticing the same thing when I was younger. The car splat tests do suggest that insect numbers have declined in some areas, although they are only one way of measuring it. Weather, location, and driving conditions can also affect the results.
Perhaps the insects have learned to avoid motor vehicles.
1 Like
My neighbor found one hiding in her dog’s bed, and I saw one in our winter garden this year. First year I’ve ever noticed one, and we’ve had our winter garden for 5 years.
The trains have relatively few inspects splatted on the front, even though the trains themselves need a good washing.
You need to use comparable cars, ideally of the same build and age. They’re much more streamlined nowadays.
I still drive my old car - and definitely there are less splats (in most areas).
I think it might be based on fields - there isn’t much fallow land anymore, and most farmland is covered by pesticide in large quantities…
1 Like
Same here. I’m still using my 2013 car which sees nowhere near the same volume of splats as it did a few years ago.
I think it is based on water , or lack of it over the last months.
Based on my experiences riding the bike using a helmet with or without a visor, I would report a definite reduction in the number of flying insects. The effects of the hot mainly dry summer are so visible everywhere.