Caring for God’s Earth

Some of you will remember how in days gone by, the car windscreen needed washing after every journey in the summer, as it was covered with splattered insects. That is no longer the case, so what has happened? Investigations in Germany suggest that insect populations have crashed by over 70% in the last 20 years. In Britain, butterflies are the best studied insect group and Butterfly Conservation surveys indicate that the common butterflies reduced in abundance by 46% between 1976 and 2017, while in fussier species numbers have dropped by 77%, despite concerted efforts of conservation charities. Nor is the drop in insect numbers confined to Western Europe. The reasons for the decrease are complex: habitat loss, climate change, drainage of wet areas for agriculture and wholesale use of insecticides all contribute to the problem.

Insects generally are a vital part of the food chain for many mammals, such as bats, and birds such as flycatchers but also Blue Tits and other common species. In other parts of the world, insects are an important source of protein for humans too. Without insects, most of our fruit and some of our vegetables would not be pollinated, meaning there would be a lack of the foodstuffs we rely on to provide the essential vitamins and minerals we need in our diet.

Fortunately government policy now seems to be swinging in favour of more environmentally friendly farming but what if anything can we do to try and halt the decline? Those of us fortunate enough to have gardens can choose to stop using chemicals. Instead of spraying green or blackfly with insecticide, use a dilute solution of washing up liquid or better still, leave them for the ladybirds, as both nymphs and adults are their natural predators. Feeding the birds in the garden helps too, as members of the Tit family particularly take greenfly. It may take a while for the balance of nature to be reasserted, but once a garden becomes organic there are rarely major pest problems that cannot be controlled in an environmentally friendly way. Also, try to ensure that there are flowering plants to provide pollen and nectar throughout the year, and choose single, not double flowered varieties, so visiting insects can easily access the food source they need. Every little helps. RMR