Citizen Scientists in Kent Buzzed into Action for Bugs Matter this Summer

The end of summer saw the conclusion of this year's national insect survey, Bugs Matter, on 30 September. 

Bugs Matter, led by conservation charities Kent Wildlife Trust and Buglife, is one of the UK's few long-term citizen science surveys of flying insect abundance, generating critically important data. 

This year saw greater participation than ever before, with a total of 8,850 journeys made, covering over 250,000 miles across the UK. Lots more people joined in the survey too – 188 new participants joined the effort to provide crucial data on flying insect numbers.  

Citizen scientists in the South East of England recorded the greatest number of journeys compared to other regions (2,175 journeys), followed by those in the East of England (1,807 journeys), North West England (777 journeys) and South West England (745 journeys). 

The 2024 survey season was extended by two months to better understand the impacts of increasingly unpredictable weather patterns on the abundance and activity of flying insects in the warmer months. Insects play a fundamental role in ecosystems, pollinating plants, breaking down and recycling waste, and providing food for many animals - therefore, understanding how their populations are changing is essential to inform conservation efforts. Without insects, life on Earth would collapse.  

The end of this year's Bugs Matter survey coincides with the recent release of Butterfly Conservation's Big Butterfly Count results which indicated the lowest numbers on record for most butterfly species, as well as the Bumblebee Conservation Trust's announcement that 2024 has been the worst year on record for Britain's bumblebees. Last year, Bugs Matter recorded the fewest insect splats in its history. All these surveys provide strong evidence that insects are in severe decline, echoing trends reported globally, and there is an urgent need to restore nature to help insect populations to recover. 

Dr Lawrence Ball, Lead Data Analyst at Kent Wildlife Trust, said:  

"We're over-the-moon that so many journeys were recorded this year, generating vital data for our analysis. Our regulars turned up and it's great that we got so many new users as well. I'm pleased we have another season's data under our belts. Each year, we are building stronger evidence to help understand, protect and restore invertebrates." 

Andrew Whitehouse from Buglife said: 

"Huge thanks to everyone who has got involved in the Bugs Matter survey in 2024, you have all helped to gather the vital data that we all need to better understand the health of our insect populations, and ultimately our environment." 

The success of Bugs Matter would not have been possible without the dedication of thousands of citizen scientists from across the UK. This year also saw a new partnership with Openreach, where 65 drivers in their vehicle fleet recorded 734 journeys and their splat counts for Bugs Matter. Other businesses with vehicle fleets are encouraged to follow Openreach's lead in joining the annual survey. The inclusion of corporate fleets can significantly enhance the scope and volume of data collected, giving us a clearer picture of what is happening to our insect populations. 

Following on from the shocking results of Bugs Matter 2023, which found an 89% reduction in the number of insects sampled on vehicle number plates in Kent between 2004 and 2023, with a 78% reduction found across the UK, the data collected from this year's survey will now undergo extensive analysis. 

 The full results are set to be published next spring - in advance of the Bugs Matter 2025 survey season. 

The survey is based on the 'windscreen phenomenon', a term given to the anecdotal observation that people tend to find fewer insects squashed on the windscreens of their cars now, compared to the past. 

Counting insects not only gives an estimate of the abundance of insect life in our towns and countryside, but also a measure of the health of our environment. Insects are essential to supporting and maintaining a healthy environment, so when their numbers fall, that is an indication that nature is in trouble. 

Insect numbers can also show where wildlife is recovering, and so Bugs Matter can be used to measure how the work of conservation organisations and others is helping nature's recovery. 

There are many other ways in which people can help reverse insect declines: 

Using alternatives to peat can help reduce CO2 emissions and slow the impact of climate change on insects and our environment. 

Put away the spray - by eliminating or reducing our use of pesticides, we can stop the decline of thousands of insects in an instant. 

Be less tidy - you can help the insects in your garden by letting the grass grow longer and sowing wildflowers. If every garden had a little patch for insects, collectively it would probably be the biggest area of wildlife habitat in the world. 

Watch your footprint - climate change is a growing threat to a wide range of wildlife, including insects. Buy your food from local suppliers, use your local shop, or grow your own vegetables. Not only will this reduce your carbon footprint, it will also help small food producers to compete with big food and farming businesses. 

Join an organisation such as your local Wildlife Trust or Buglife. Charities like these do vital work to protect and restore our most important wildlife sites, restore lost habitats at scale and reconnect our countryside through initiatives like B-Lines, lobby government for stronger laws to reduce pesticide use and work to improve the quality of waters in our rivers and streams.