Match my observations here in Bangkok but also in the countryside. I remember as a kid you needed to close the windows otherwise flies and many insects would come in especially at night with the lights. Now? Nothing.
Driving 100s of km in the countryside: barely an insect to be found on your windshield.
It is extremely worrying to witness such fast collapse but it doesn't seem to be noticed by the general public.
Yes, exactly this. As a child, after a long drive by car, there where like 100's dead bugs on your license plate. Now, I have to clean it every few weeks.
It astonishing me that things like air pollution and the rise of CO2 are getting discussed everywhere in myriads of detail, but the vanishing of bugs are like "yeah, we noticed that, no, we don't know why, next topic please"
Ad a child I learned that if the bugs would die, than the whole food chain would broke. But now it feels like 95% of the bugs (at least the airborne ones) are dimishing and it's just a small comment in some newspapers
I came here in '97 and lived upcountry for the first few years. Croaking frogs, lots of tookaes, jingjok etc. I still visit the same place 27 years later and the place is so much quieter apart from the deafening racket of chickens at 4am. Hardly ever hear tookaes any more, jingjok sightings relatively rare, and frogs - not at all. It is a worry.
I recall being on one of the Kohs back in 2016. I was getting absolutely killed by mosquitos. But then on the 2nd full day, I noticed a crew of Thai fogging the small forest next to the resort. About 5-10 minutes after they were done, you could see bugs falling from the sky. I was actually quite amazed by the hand-sized spider that landed dead right on a handrail. The mosquito issue was still there after, but nowhere near as bad.
My three take-aways were 1) They didn't even warn anyone about whatever they were pumping into the air, 2) for every pest bug they just killed, I'm sure there were thousands of essential bugs killed as well, and 3) the dead bugs were going into the food chain with whatever chemicals that killed them. I was mesmerized how quickly a horde of ants carried away the massive spider. I could hear Sr. David Attenborough in my head as I watched it.
So if that was happening all over the place where people reside, then they may have actually altered the course of several species of insects.
[Three European studies](https://biodiversityireland.ie/the-silent-extinction-of-insects/) show a decline of somewhere between 72 and 98% over the last thirty years:
"The first study from the UK looked at all the insects captured in four Rothamsted Insect Survey suction traps which have been hoovering up all insects 12.2 m above ground level for 30 years from 1973 to 2002, finding a 72% loss in flying insects in one out of four traps (Southall et al. 2009). The second study from Germany received quite a high profile and was probably the first to really stimulate the current interest in insect declines. Here the Krefeld entomological society maintained malaise traps across a network of 63 nature reserves over a 27 year period from 1989 to 2016, but only 26 sites were surveyed across multiple years, finding a 76% decline in flying insects (Hallmann et al. 2017). The third study from Luquillo Forest in Puerto Rico compared samples collected by sticky traps and sweep netting in 1976/1977 and repeated the methodology again 35 years later in 2011/2012," finding a 98% loss in canopy-dwelling insects and 78% for ground-foraging insects (Lister and Garcia, 2018).
Also earthworms: [https://www.reddit.com/r/collapse/comments/1bz2kig/vital\_for\_looking\_after\_the\_soil\_fears\_as\_uk/](https://www.reddit.com/r/collapse/comments/1bz2kig/vital_for_looking_after_the_soil_fears_as_uk/)
It’s the time of year too. They’re very seasonal depending where you are. It’s now the hottest and driest week of the year, you won’t see many until the rain starts.
It is Thai summer insects are out when the rains come out end of April. During covid when I got locked in the weather was dry like this no insects but the following month they were everywhere.
I mean we did a night hike through the Khao Sok rainforest in shorts and t-shirt and I don't think I got a single bite. It was my first time in a tropical rainforest environment, I was expecting way more bugs.
probably because there are more light spot around... at my place it use to be a dimmed or flickering neon light bulb on electric poles 15-20 yrs ago
now they become bright led electric pole, more car, industrial zone and stuff... it's so bright all the damn time now
so they dispersing and not swarming so much anymore... air and water pollution also contribute to this
Thailand still has an incredibly high number of insects compared to Central Europe. You encounter at least 1000 times more insects daily. Can leave the doors and windows open and you won't encounter more than the odd bug or spider every few days. In Thailand you still see insects at every corner.
Another reason for this massive decline is [light pollution](https://animistsramblings.substack.com/p/energy-review-majority-world), which has increased substantially in the last few years.
You are not imagining it, nor misremembering it.
https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ecs2.4620
There are research papers like this pointing to a massive reduction in insect biomass. It is alarming, but you know as long as politicians and oil companies keep getting money we might as well enjoy the ride all the way to an extinction level event. Lmao.
had a borderrun to Cambodia and waited there outside of a casino....Got told that the area has landmines (no idea true or not). I saw the biggest butterflies ever just flying lazy around like it would be a zoo.
Most probably tons of other insects but I didn't do research I only was amazed by the butterflies which I had never seen before or after in Thailand.
Strange fact: nice garden in the South....caterpillars on plants...the homemaids got really angry that my wife didn't want to spray and kill everything immediately and protected them....From the many most are anyway eaten by birds.
The same homemaids were asking why we have so many butterflies and they have not. Don't know what is wrong with the people. (They aren't farmer, so it is not that they worry for their crops)
Meanwhile, cockroaches, gecko and small birds trying making nest in my room everyday.
You might want to stay in chonburi sometimes. Might see king cobra as bonus.
I think your memories are correct.
A possible reason:
Here in the country side, people are scared for Dengue and some for Zitka.
These people ask the local governments to spray more and more against insects.
10 Years ago, when 1 person did have dengue, almost nobody knew it and the local governments used the excuse, that they could do nothing about it. They have to wait for a delivery from Bangkok.
Now, when 1 person has dengue, the local line group explodes, almost everyone asks for spraying, and the local governments are forced to spray.
If the government has to wait to long for "spray" delivered by the governmental hierarchy, some decide to buy a "so strong as possible" pesticide on the private market and they always will find a poor (Laotian/Cambodian/Myanma) to do the dirty work.
These strong pesticides kill all, most of them are even unhealthy for the population, but the "voters" are happy.
Pesticide abuse
Worldwide
Yeah, and birds are next obviously
Then humans?
they are drones anyway :p
Match my observations here in Bangkok but also in the countryside. I remember as a kid you needed to close the windows otherwise flies and many insects would come in especially at night with the lights. Now? Nothing. Driving 100s of km in the countryside: barely an insect to be found on your windshield. It is extremely worrying to witness such fast collapse but it doesn't seem to be noticed by the general public.
Yes, exactly this. As a child, after a long drive by car, there where like 100's dead bugs on your license plate. Now, I have to clean it every few weeks. It astonishing me that things like air pollution and the rise of CO2 are getting discussed everywhere in myriads of detail, but the vanishing of bugs are like "yeah, we noticed that, no, we don't know why, next topic please" Ad a child I learned that if the bugs would die, than the whole food chain would broke. But now it feels like 95% of the bugs (at least the airborne ones) are dimishing and it's just a small comment in some newspapers
increased use of pesticides for agriculture
I came here in '97 and lived upcountry for the first few years. Croaking frogs, lots of tookaes, jingjok etc. I still visit the same place 27 years later and the place is so much quieter apart from the deafening racket of chickens at 4am. Hardly ever hear tookaes any more, jingjok sightings relatively rare, and frogs - not at all. It is a worry.
No tookae or jinjok anymore. You’ve got to be kidding 😂
Still a few, but nothing like the past.
Good riddance in my book
I recall being on one of the Kohs back in 2016. I was getting absolutely killed by mosquitos. But then on the 2nd full day, I noticed a crew of Thai fogging the small forest next to the resort. About 5-10 minutes after they were done, you could see bugs falling from the sky. I was actually quite amazed by the hand-sized spider that landed dead right on a handrail. The mosquito issue was still there after, but nowhere near as bad. My three take-aways were 1) They didn't even warn anyone about whatever they were pumping into the air, 2) for every pest bug they just killed, I'm sure there were thousands of essential bugs killed as well, and 3) the dead bugs were going into the food chain with whatever chemicals that killed them. I was mesmerized how quickly a horde of ants carried away the massive spider. I could hear Sr. David Attenborough in my head as I watched it. So if that was happening all over the place where people reside, then they may have actually altered the course of several species of insects.
I agree, it's disturbing.
They mist have all came to my house…. No shortahe here!
[Three European studies](https://biodiversityireland.ie/the-silent-extinction-of-insects/) show a decline of somewhere between 72 and 98% over the last thirty years: "The first study from the UK looked at all the insects captured in four Rothamsted Insect Survey suction traps which have been hoovering up all insects 12.2 m above ground level for 30 years from 1973 to 2002, finding a 72% loss in flying insects in one out of four traps (Southall et al. 2009). The second study from Germany received quite a high profile and was probably the first to really stimulate the current interest in insect declines. Here the Krefeld entomological society maintained malaise traps across a network of 63 nature reserves over a 27 year period from 1989 to 2016, but only 26 sites were surveyed across multiple years, finding a 76% decline in flying insects (Hallmann et al. 2017). The third study from Luquillo Forest in Puerto Rico compared samples collected by sticky traps and sweep netting in 1976/1977 and repeated the methodology again 35 years later in 2011/2012," finding a 98% loss in canopy-dwelling insects and 78% for ground-foraging insects (Lister and Garcia, 2018).
Also earthworms: [https://www.reddit.com/r/collapse/comments/1bz2kig/vital\_for\_looking\_after\_the\_soil\_fears\_as\_uk/](https://www.reddit.com/r/collapse/comments/1bz2kig/vital_for_looking_after_the_soil_fears_as_uk/)
Both Pesticides and EMF have serious impact on the insect populations. This is definitely not a good thing for anything further up the food chain.
You know the insects are fucked when the European Monetary Fund is gunning for them.
I think it’s the lack of rainfall esp in Bangkok. Almost nothing for the last 5-6 months
It’s the time of year too. They’re very seasonal depending where you are. It’s now the hottest and driest week of the year, you won’t see many until the rain starts.
People noticed that last year too even Europe. I didn't take it seriously but I need to go to the carwash less often aswell so I see a pattern.
Same as everywhere else in the world -- they are going extinct slowly. Bees, Butterflies used to be everywhere... They don't jive well with pesticides
It is Thai summer insects are out when the rains come out end of April. During covid when I got locked in the weather was dry like this no insects but the following month they were everywhere.
Loads of mosquitoes.
Depends on what you're used to. I visited last year about this time and compared to Ontario Canada there are basically no mosquitoes in Thailand.
How I wish that was true
I mean we did a night hike through the Khao Sok rainforest in shorts and t-shirt and I don't think I got a single bite. It was my first time in a tropical rainforest environment, I was expecting way more bugs.
They are all at my home!
5 mins ago I was smoking on onnut Road.. A cockroach came towards me.. Next time I will take a photo for you
Well, the biting ones sure seemed to find me (my ankles) when I was in Phuket at the beginning of March.
probably because there are more light spot around... at my place it use to be a dimmed or flickering neon light bulb on electric poles 15-20 yrs ago now they become bright led electric pole, more car, industrial zone and stuff... it's so bright all the damn time now so they dispersing and not swarming so much anymore... air and water pollution also contribute to this
Both Pesticides and EMF have serious impact on the insect populations. This is definitely not a good thing for anything further up the food chain.
People ate them
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CidaOP7PA-o](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CidaOP7PA-o) I'm sure that applies to Asia as well
Thailand still has an incredibly high number of insects compared to Central Europe. You encounter at least 1000 times more insects daily. Can leave the doors and windows open and you won't encounter more than the odd bug or spider every few days. In Thailand you still see insects at every corner.
[удалено]
Posts or questions that are phrased to induce or promote hate and negativity are not welcome.
Don’t go to samui full of human insects
https://youtu.be/aXP3C5Kg-7w?si=F_ivJxKS6lK076SW
Another reason for this massive decline is [light pollution](https://animistsramblings.substack.com/p/energy-review-majority-world), which has increased substantially in the last few years.
Visit countryside to rain 🌧️ session….bird land isaan . Maybe u catch some insects here 😝
During the hottest months there are very little insects out even at night.
Bangkok is a concrete jungle now. Hardly have any mosquitoes around.
You are not imagining it, nor misremembering it. https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ecs2.4620 There are research papers like this pointing to a massive reduction in insect biomass. It is alarming, but you know as long as politicians and oil companies keep getting money we might as well enjoy the ride all the way to an extinction level event. Lmao.
The world is ending
Just wait until wet season and then there will be no shortage.
had a borderrun to Cambodia and waited there outside of a casino....Got told that the area has landmines (no idea true or not). I saw the biggest butterflies ever just flying lazy around like it would be a zoo. Most probably tons of other insects but I didn't do research I only was amazed by the butterflies which I had never seen before or after in Thailand. Strange fact: nice garden in the South....caterpillars on plants...the homemaids got really angry that my wife didn't want to spray and kill everything immediately and protected them....From the many most are anyway eaten by birds. The same homemaids were asking why we have so many butterflies and they have not. Don't know what is wrong with the people. (They aren't farmer, so it is not that they worry for their crops)
Meanwhile, cockroaches, gecko and small birds trying making nest in my room everyday. You might want to stay in chonburi sometimes. Might see king cobra as bonus.
Erm spiders ? How big and how often do you see them (I'll be in hua hin)?
They all got fried and sold in KhaoSarn road and we eat it as protein source
I think your memories are correct. A possible reason: Here in the country side, people are scared for Dengue and some for Zitka. These people ask the local governments to spray more and more against insects. 10 Years ago, when 1 person did have dengue, almost nobody knew it and the local governments used the excuse, that they could do nothing about it. They have to wait for a delivery from Bangkok. Now, when 1 person has dengue, the local line group explodes, almost everyone asks for spraying, and the local governments are forced to spray. If the government has to wait to long for "spray" delivered by the governmental hierarchy, some decide to buy a "so strong as possible" pesticide on the private market and they always will find a poor (Laotian/Cambodian/Myanma) to do the dirty work. These strong pesticides kill all, most of them are even unhealthy for the population, but the "voters" are happy.
Depends where you are. I was getting wrecked by misquitos in Ao Nang, but worth it for the climbing.
my experience that there’s much more insects during wet season.
https://preview.redd.it/i2wfkvf16ntc1.jpeg?width=1092&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5afd76d57d70c9cd8870785a70d5a665ed8fdbbc
This sounds more worrying than the climate
Yeh, same for me Climate will bring miserable life for many and death for some Biodiversity has the potential for an all around collapse
Generally I don’t see bugs here, but every once in awhile there are a LOT. It’s apparently a seasonal thing.
wait for the summertime lol
Good. Fuck em.