Why the lack of 'splats' on our cars is a cause for concern

WITH insects rarely featuring in public polls of people's favourite wild creatures, you might expect news that populations of flying insects are in decline would be far from troubling for most people.

- By ERIN MCDAID

However, the rate and scale of the decline in flying insect should be a worry to us all.

Whilst on an individual and day to day level many folk might find insects scary or even consider them disgust-ing, they are a vital part of the natural ecosystem every creature relies on - including us. Flying insects - not just bees - play a vital role in pollinating food crops and insects themselves form a key building block in food chain, sustaining many of the crea-tures that would feature in a list of favourites - including birds like the ever popular robin.

Over the years I remember hearing and sharing anecdotal evidence that the numbers of flying insects were declining based on people's experi-ence of no longer having to regularly clear their car windscreens of dead insects during the summer. I person ally remember a time when even a relatively short car journey in sum-mer would result in your windscreen becoming smeared as a result of insects being squashed.