Planet Earth reported on a recent study from the Journal of Applied Ecology that three-quarters of beetle species studied had experienced population declines. Half of these species studied had declined at a rate of 30% per decade. Beetles play a large role in both the natural ecosystems and farmlands as they are general predators. They help farmers by eating pests such as slugs and aphids.
More studies are being conducted to learn the reason for population loss. Possible causes are changes in winter severity and levels of moisture in soil due to climate change and land management practices. The decline in beetle populations may reflect losses in other insect populations as well. Read more at Planet Earth: Beetle declines increase concerns about wider insect trouble.
Natural History Wanderings 
Leave a comment