'Alarming decline' of insects in new bug splat survey

The invertebrate charity Buglife, which helps to carry out the survey, said the results indicated a "potentially catastrophic" insect decline

The number of flying insects counted on vehicle licence plates in Northern Ireland has more than halved in the past five years, new figures suggest.

The annual Bugs Matter "splat survey", a citizen science initiative to track insect abundance in areas, has recorded an average 8% annual fall.

The 56% five-year decline in Northern Ireland was comparable to Wales (55%) but less steep than in England (60%) and Scotland (59%).

The invertebrate charity Buglife, which carries out the survey with Kent Wildlife Trust, said the results indicated a "potentially catastrophic" insect decline.

Continuing decline

Scotland and Northern Ireland manager Rebecca Lewis said the good weather in both the spring and summer months might have been expected to boost insect numbers, but the survey data recorded a fifth year of "significant" decline.

"Insects might be small, but they are incredibly important to maintaining healthy environments and delivering the services that we and other animals rely upon – from healthy soils and clean rivers to pollinating crops," she said.

Ms Lewis said the numbers suggesting insect numbers have more than halved is "potentially catastrophic".

"Urgent action is needed to restore nature at scale and reduce threats like pesticide use, habitat loss, and climate change," she added.

What is the Splat Survey?

The number of bugs "splatted" on a vehicle licence plate is an indicator for insect populations in an area, with the annual survey providing crucial data about insect abundance.

People are asked to count the bugs on their licence plates at the end of a journey.

They use the Bugs Matter app to record trips over the course of five months, from May to September.

In Northern Ireland, almost 12,000km (7,500 miles) were recorded in the latest survey, including journeys from Portrush to Crossmaglen.

The survey includes members of the public counting "splattered" bugs on their vehicle license plates

The survey was carried out in the Republic of Ireland for the first time this year, providing a baseline for future years.

Kent Wildlife Trust's citizen science lead, Rosie Bleet, said the decrease in Northern Ireland was a "red flag" that should not be ignored.

"A yearly decrease of 8% is really alarming," she added.

"It is vital that we continue to run Bugs Matter next year and beyond."

She said the survey had "capture the imagination" of citizen scientists in Northern Ireland and appealed for more people to get involved next year.