The Royal Society For The Protection Of Birds Developed A 'Splatometer' Which Is Piece Of Plastic Attached To A Car That Catches Bugs As One Drives

Bird population is declining so this is a step the RSPB had to take

Maryjane

• Published in Animal Stories
• November 27, 2022

Conservationists want drivers in the United Kingdom to use a device they call a "splatometer" to count the number of flying insects they see. The size of it is similar to that of a postcard.

The goal is to determine whether anecdotal evidence of an insect population decline is credible. According to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), declining species include maize bunting and tree sparrows.

It is curious to know if there is any connection between this and the apparent decrease in the population of bees, ladybugs, moths, and other insects. To sample the quantity of insects drivers encounters while traveling, the organization has created a postcard-sized bug-catching gadget.

RSPB's Richard Bradbury had this to say:

"If people across the country do this, we'll be able to develop a picture of the regional trends in insects and, if we do it through the future, any temporal changes as well."

The study's findings may assist identify the extent to which the amount of insects affects the number of birds. The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust's Pat Wisniewski had this to say:

"Lack of insects could affect bird populations but I think there are a number of other things as well, for instance global warming might affect the distribution of birds within the country."

More Info: Reddit, news.bbc.co.uk

Redditor u/AudibleNod has this interesting piece of information to share with the TodayILearned subreddit group

The "splatometer" is a post card-sized piece of plastic attached to a car that catches bugs as one drives

A rectangular piece of PVC that is affixed to the front of a car serves as the splatometer. The PVC rectangle is transported, covered with a similar piece of plastic, and then sent for analysis.

Redditors had a lot to say and we've gathered up a bunch of their replies for you below.

How do they teach the one bug to drive?

If you're only sampling bugs on road, then it's selection bias

We used to have so many insects that bumped into cars

Some Redditors were of the opinion that climate change is definitely part of the issue, but habitat loss and pesticides are the primary culprits when it comes to the declining insect population. Some remembered it being a constant thing where one's car would just be covered in dead bugs especially if you drove at night.

Keep scrolling to see more comments.

Insect abundance has plunged up in Europe, according to this Redditor

What's the last thing that goes through a bug's mind???

People have cars and cars get splattered with bugs

This Redditor is a huge fan of the royal society for the prevention of birds

For several bird species, the population is declining so this is a step that had to be taken. The software analyzes the plastic pieces covered in bug droppings and keeps track of the number and kind of insects that were slain.

What do you think about this move? Will it help save the bird species that are on the decline?

Leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Maryjane