Insect crisis?

Like many people, lockdown has offered more opportunities to get out into the wild and enjoy the fields and countryside. On many of our walks, we have come across wildflower meadows which are managed by our local council (London Borough of Bromley). These are flourishing and contain a wide selection of flora but we have been regularly disappointed by the lack of wildlife present. Virtually no bees, insects, beetles or butterflies. In past years these areas have been teeming but this year seems very different.

Can you offer any explanation for this, becauseitmust have a knock-on effect up the food chain, for birds in particular?

Q

That is a disturbing tale, Richard. The lockdown conditions seem have inspired radically different views on the quantity of insects out and about this year. Some have said they have noticed very high numbers of insects on the wing and attributed this to less pesticide being used on farmland. Others, like you, have noticed the opposite effect. Both conditions could be down to observers looking at their surrounding wildlife in slightly different ways, this year of all years. But they could equally be real phenomena. We are no experts on pesticide use, but there will doubtless be studies made of insect abundances this summer which will shed light on the truth. But, yes, insect life is utterly critical for birds, with the vast majority of species ( particularly passerines aka songbirds) feeding their young primarily on invertebrates.

A