According to a recent study carried out by British citizens attached to the organization Buglife and relayed by
New Scientist
and
Slate
on Monday, the number of insects that crash into windscreens would have fallen by 58.5% in the United Kingdom between 2004 and 2021.
In order to arrive at this observation, the citizens in question placed on their license plate small grids called "splatometers" and intended to facilitate the counting of dead insects on each journey.
Study participants then only had to upload the results to a dedicated app.
Intensification of agricultural practices
In 2020, the study estimated the number of dead insects per mile (1.6 km) at 0.104, compared to 0.238 in 2004. Called "windshield syndrome", this drastic drop in the number of insects crushed on vehicles is alarming.
It would be significant of the decline of the populations of these animals.
The intensification of agricultural practices and the use of pesticides would be blamed in particular.
However, the researchers mention the existence of regional disparities.
According to the organization Buglife, the fall in the rate of insects would thus be 65% in England and 28% in Scotland.
According to specialists, this difference could be explained by less noticeable effects of climate change in the north or by lower light pollution and less use of pesticide products.
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