Summer 2020 has shown few wasps in this garden, even with a plum tree full of fruit, ie north east England. Its no use asking anyone, there will always be someone that has a wasps nest somewhere in their garden and so hence to them there is no decline. I never knew I would lament the lack of wasps.
Anyway, heres a link below to the stark and obvious fact of insect decline.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2020/05/where-have-all-the-insects-gone-feature/
I also wonder if theres a similar decline to the inhabitants at soil level and beneath, these being utterly vital to soil health and fertility. What a web we have weaved with our endless desire to be modern progressive and productive. I’m seeing far fewer in fact hardly any owls this year 2020 and fear birdsong has diminished; I’m a country lover and have spent many decades enjoying nature, I’ve a little bit of an idea what I’m talking about. My own garden has been described as a haven, including its variety and general jumble of intersting perennials, I garden deliberately to create locations for insects, small mammals and those desiring to over-winter safely or at least with a chance of survival. My neighbours are hopeless. No longer can we see open work dry stone walls in our semi or urban environment, all the nooks and crannies have been eradicated either by excessive modern design (housing and environment) and the eradication altogether of a nature friendly environment by means of concrete, paving, gravel or tarmac. Just to set seal with the modern onslaught on living things, that insects and invertebrates cannot survive the Local Authority (Council – call it what you will)… zealously spray weedkiller at the base of any and all fenceposts, telegraph poles, margins of concrete and tarmac, all are a valuable niche habitat. Out local ‘nature reserve’ / pit heap now has total width mowed access tracks where once wormwood, snapdragon and various umbellifers, wild carrot etc thrived. Now, I do not see any bees, diptera, butterflies, hoverflies etc.
Progress !
I am afraid I do not share David Attenboroughs optimism.
On the brighter side I’ve now turned my microscope toward the tiny gnats and midges that end up on my windowsills, the wonders, complexity and sheer beauty are indeed worth beholding, for instance the irridesence of the wings of a gnat, I so far haven’t tried to identify species, one of the few areas of knowledge I do not have at least one book available somewhere in this house…. NO… I recall I do indeed have at least say five or six atlases or compendiums that may reveal some classification of flying things that only a microscope can fully reveal. Another microscopic revelation is the head of a crane fly ie ‘daddy long legs’ ….. bizzare and fascinating!
Its my personal opinion chemtrail aluminium may play a part in all this insect and invertebrate loss, already we read of alzheimers in bees. Also we need to fast track the too long wait for peer reviewed papers, for the latest data and analysis, for news from experienced hands, we haven’t the time, I’ve said this for years.
climate-change-briefing 