Dead flies on the front of the car

[PlasmaParticipant @plasma]

Hi all.
<p style=”text-align: left;”>When I was a baby motorist some 40 years ago, any jaunt along a reasonably fast road resulted in a fine collection of dead insects all over the front of the car.</p>
Over the last few years I’ve noticed a marked decline in such deposits, even after long motorway trips.

But this week my toyota is again sporting a variety of deceased insects after moderate countryside motoring.

Was it my imagination that I stopped seeing dead bugs on the car?

Has anyone else noticed and uptick in insects on their cars?

I’m just wondering if the decline in farming and pesticide use has had a beneficial effect on our ecosystem.

Mick

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

I thought it was due to improved airflow designed to sweep the air up the windscreen rather than against it but your observation belies that. Might be some side effect of the weather putting more bugs into the air before their predators have bred up to level.

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

One possible reason for the original decline in mortality might be improving vehicle aerodynamics so far more of the little animals are lifted clear by the slipstream safely in advance of the bodywork and windscreen.

The apparent decline in mortality more generally is due to far fewer insects to meet a sticky end, by habitat loss, pesticides, etc. Not decline in farming as such, but farming methods and the loss of farmland to building developments.

If the insect populations are increasing again – and that might be patchy and according to species – it may well be due to changing farming practices now, such as less pesticide, more hedges again, wider crop-field margins, and the growing use of so-called “regenerative farming” (which appears to be a fancy word for what farmers in the past did until about the 1950s).

 

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

Ah,  nothing to do with insecticide then ????????

Bob

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Speed limits on country road and up to even dual carriageways will also have affected the hit rate.

It is also seasonal with insects hatching at different times of year, spring is a typical time and may explain why you hit a lot this week.

[Graham TitmanParticipant @grahamtitman81812]

Drive slower and give them a decent burial or drive a lot faster and push them out of the way

[bernard towersParticipant @bernardtowers37738]

out on the bike twice last weekend and yes flies/insects a real nuisance. But the mustard and rape is in full bloom.

[Hugh Stewart-Smith 1Participant @hughstewart-smith1]

Q:

What’s the last thing that goes through the mind of a fly as it hits a windscreen?

A:

It’s bottom

Hugh                                                                                  Amadeal Ltd

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Got greenflied on the M6 yesterday, first time in years. I’m blaming the lack of rain.

[Gerard O’TooleParticipant @gerardotoole60348]

There has been a real decrease in insect numbers as this article suggests. https://www.buglife.org.uk/news/bugs-matter-survey-launches-in-the-republic-of-ireland/

A number of years ago i travelled, by motorcycle, through Ireland, UK and France. When I got to the Nice area in the south of France, I suddenly was covered in insects, so much so that when I stopped for coffee I felt I couldn’t enter the cafe until I took off my jacket. 50 years ago, my googles would be plastered in insect bodies. Now not so much.

[peak4Participant @peak4]

In addition to the previous post, from the same group, have a look at Bugsplat

Bugs Matter

Bill

[Colin HeseltineParticipant @colinheseltine48622]

I did 270 miles round Wales yesterday in the Caterham and for the first time in a long the screen was well covered in splattered beasties.  The fact that screen is relatively vertical tends to mean you collect more than a normal streamlined car.  Every stop we were out cleaning the screens.

Colin

 

[halfnutParticipant @halfnut]

Spring is sprung and the bugs is on the wing.

I find driving along roads next to a river or stream is bug city and the windscreen is a charnel house. But driving through crop farmland is almost devoid of bugs.

[Nigel BennettParticipant @nigelbennett69913]

The swallows, martins and swifts haven’t really got going on the flies yet. Could be a bumper year for them. My windscreen’s covered in flies, too, and I’m having to keep my mouth shut when I go cycling… frankly I don’t really need the extra calories.

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

No mow May will be contributing too.

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