New data suggest that insect life continues to decline in Kent
The troubling extent of insect declines in Kent has been highlighted once again by the results of the 2025 Bugs Matter citizen science survey published today
Topics: Insects
The importance of dung
One of the many benefits of using grazing livestock in conservation management is that they produce dung. Their dung acts in various ways to enhance the landscape and provides benefits for a range of organisms that would otherwise be excluded in a machinery-based site management scheme.
What is flying ant day & when is it?
Sara Booth-Card, ecologist, peatlands and Action For Insects campaigner at The Wildlife Trusts, looks out for the telltale signs of flying ant days and shares her love for the underground world of ants.
Where have all the insects gone? Conservationists’ call to show that Bugs Matter
As the summer holidays begin, the Bugs Matter 2024 survey, led by Buglife and Kent Wildlife Trust, is calling on citizen scientists across the UK to participate in this crucial insect population study.
Discover the UK’s insect species & how you can help them
Insects are often overlooked, and yet they play a crucial role in maintaining the health of ecosystems and supporting human survival.
Bugs Matter Citizen Science survey shows further falls in Kent insect numbers
The troubling falls in insect numbers in Kent has been highlighted once again by the 2023 Bugs Matter citizen science survey published today. The new report reveals that the abundance of flying insects sampled on vehicle number plates has fallen by a staggering 89% since 2004.
Virtual ‘splatometer’ makes it even easier for citizen scientists to contribute to Bugs Matter survey in Kent
Conservation charities Kent Wildlife Trust and Buglife have launched the Bugs Matter 2023 Survey, introducing a new virtual ‘splatometer’ to measure insect splats on number plates as a measure of insect abundance. This ground-breaking initiative aims to measure the alarming decline in insect numbers repeatedly reported across the UK and the globe.
Citizen science programme suggests dramatic decline in Kent insect numbers, as UK Government approve the use of lethal pesticides
Conservationists have described the outlook in Kent as "alarming", with the county's reduction in insect numbers higher than the national average.
Citizen Scientists across the UK demonstrate that “Bugs Matter” this summer
The end of the school summer holidays saw the conclusion of this year’s national insect survey, Bugs Matter, on 31 August. Led by conservation charities Kent Wildlife Trust and Buglife, the annual call to collaborate with citizen scientists across the UK generates crucial data regarding how national insect numbers are faring. Bugs Matter, based on the “windscreen phenomenon”, is one of the UK’s few long-term citizen science surveys of flying insect abundance, generating important data.
Bugs Matter survey finds that flying insects in Kent have declined by over 70% in less than 20 years
A citizen-science survey, led by Kent Wildlife Trust and Buglife, has found that the abundance of flying insects in Kent has plummeted by over 70% over the last 17 years; highlighting a worrying trend and the crucial need for insect-focussed conservation research, nationwide.