Bumblebees, butterflies and other insects are vanishing right before our very eyes.
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Bumblebees play a key role in pollinating crops such as tomatoes, squash and berries, but are in drastic decline across Europe and North America due to hotter and more frequent extremes in temperatures, according to The Guardian.
Researchers say the rates of decline appear to be “consistent with a mass extinction,” according to the article.
It’s not just the bumblebees that are dying off. Worldwide, more than 40% of insect species could face extinction in the next few decades. If current rates continue, insects could disappear within 100 years. Those in peril include bees, butterflies, moths, dung beetles and aquatic insects like dragonflies, damselflies, stoneflies, mayflies and more.
You might remember going on a road trip and the large number of bugs flying at, and smashing on, your windshield. And now, you may realize that it's been some time since your windshield was covered with insects.
This occurrence has a name — the "windshield phenomenon" — given by entomologists and serving as an ominous warning — a canary in the coal mine that the environment is in grave danger.
One problem is that the bees and insects have lost their habitat because large swaths of land have been cleared to make way for agricultural fields and residential and commercial development.
Another significant contributor to insect declines is pollution, primarily that from synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.
The best you can do to lessen the harm and risk of extinction is to support organic, grass fed farms that are not relying on synthetic chemicals and other intensive agriculture practices.
All of this has the potential to affect other species, as well. It’s estimated that 80% of wild plants depend on insects for pollination, and 60% of birds depend on them for food.
A 76% decline in flying insects was revealed over a period of 27 years in Germany, even though insects were observed in nature preserves that were meant to protect ecosystem functioning and biodiversity. Ninety-four percent of the protected areas were enclosed by agricultural areas, and increasing use of pesticides was named as a possible cause for the decline.
Neonicotinoid pesticides — the most widely used insecticides on the planet — are used in agriculture and have been implicated in the decline of bees, particularly in commercially bred species like honeybees and bumblebees, although wild foraging bees may also be affected.
These pesticides are typically applied to seeds before they're planted, then taken up by plants as they grow, contaminating flowers, nectar and pollen and posing a threat to bees.
Research suggests that combined exposure to neonicotinoid pesticides and parasites may alter queen bees' physiology and survival, and could potentially destroy the whole hive. Butterflies are also being affected by these pesticides.
Following are four ways you can help to increase the population of insects:
• Avoid insecticide use at home
• Buy organic produce
• Plant a garden
• Contact your congressman or senator and voice your concerns