Insects, which comprise two thirds of all species on Earth, have been dying off at alarming rates — with disastrous impacts on food chains and habitats.
This warning comes from German entomology enthusiasts, or bug catchers, who have collected 80 million insects in the Rhine countryside over the last 37 years.
Their collection is now a world-class scientific treasure and also evidence of what is described as one of Earth’s worst extinction phases since the dinosaurs vanished.
The total annual biomass of flying insects collected has plummeted by 76 per cent since the insect-lovers began their meticulous studies.
Although he is visibly proud of the society’s research, their findings terrify him.
Meanwhile, just across the Dutch border, ecologist Hans de Kroon was working on the decline of birds in the region.
In the test period, the total biomass of flying insects here has plummeted by 76 per cent.
To demonstrate the rapid decline, a lab technician held up two bottles: one from 1994 contains 1,400 grammes of trapped insects, the newest one just 300 grammes.
‘We only became aware of the seriousness of this decline in 2011, and every year since then we have seen it get worse,’ says Dr Sorg.
At the time, the news did not make major waves outside of ecological circles.
Concern about biodiversity loss focused mostly on large charismatic mammal species,with environmental monitoring such as that undertaken in Krefeld considered a quaint Sunday hobby, largely ignored by the scientific community.
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