Flying insects have been disappearing over the past few decades study shows
Caspar Hallmann
âThe windscreen phenomenon is probably one of the best illustrative ways to realize we are dealing with a decline in flying insects â said  Caspar Hallmann  an ecologist at Radboud University in the Netherlands .  Hallmann  is part of a research team that recently waded through 27 years' worth of insects collected in German nature preserves.
The most dramatic reduction over time in bug biomass appeared in summer months  when insects should be most active. âApparently  when insect densities are the highest  declines are most severe. Unfortunately we do not know why â  Hallmann  said.
 Hallmann  said the German study should be ârepresentative for parts of the world under similar conditions â which is to say a human-dominated landscape coupled with intensive agriculture. But  he  cannot make more-specific comparisons  because âsimilar data sets do not exist elsewhere  to our knowledge â  he  said.
The authors of the new study attempted to tease out the roots of the decline. The scientists' investigation into climatic changes and other variables  however  eliminated most âprime suspects â  Hallmann  said. (In fact  the temperature increase observed over the study period should have benefited flying insects   he  said.)
One culprit could be the alteration of the landscape itself  the agriculture that surrounds the preserves. âThis suggests a possible role for  for example  fertilizer and pesticide application â  Hallmann  said.
âThe windscreen phenomenon is probably one of the best illustrative ways to realize we are dealing with a decline in flying insects â said   [TGT]  .   [TGT] is part of a research team that recently waded through 27 years' worth of insects collected in German nature preserves.
The most dramatic reduction over time in bug biomass appeared in summer months  when insects should be most active. âApparently  when insect densities are the highest  declines are most severe. Unfortunately we do not know why â   [TGT] said.
  [TGT] said the German study should be ârepresentative for parts of the world under similar conditions â which is to say a human-dominated landscape coupled with intensive agriculture. But  he  cannot make more-specific comparisons  because âsimilar data sets do not exist elsewhere  to our knowledge â  he  said.
The authors of the new study attempted to tease out the roots of the decline. The scientists' investigation into climatic changes and other variables  however  eliminated most âprime suspects â   [TGT] said. (In fact  the temperature increase observed over the study period should have benefited flying insects    [TGT]   said.)
One culprit could be the alteration of the landscape itself  the agriculture that surrounds the preserves. âThis suggests a possible role for  for example  fertilizer and pesticide application â   [TGT]   said.