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Randy Lauff asked: Comments? Declining numbers of insects is currently thought to be the main reason behind the large decrease in Canada of aerial foraging birds such as swallows. It is also the reason being given behind the decline in House Sparrow numbers (in North America and Europe at least). There are still areas where insect numbers are high and I'm sure several people reading this email are saying to themselves "What are they talking about? The mosquitoes were terrible this year". However, the large picture is a decline. Some species of birds have certainly changed their behaviour accordingly. For example, in some locations, Tree Swallows which use to gather in large numbers on power lines near their nesting areas now stay only a brief time before moving to marshes, waterways etc. where insects are still abundant. So instead of hundreds of swallows sitting together on a line, one may only see a few family groups, and they only stay for a few days before moving on. All the best, Lance ======================== Lance Laviolette Glen Robertson, Ontario ======================== -----Original Message----- From: naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca [mailto:naturens-owner@chebucto.ns.ca] On Behalf Of Randy Lauff Sent: July-12-09 9:45 AM To: NatureNS Subject: [NatureNS] lack of insects? Every summer I look forward to evenings at my dining room table, which sits right next to a large picture window, and see the diversity of insects that land on the window. My window has been rather insect-free this year...very small numbers of moths, no lacewings, no hordes of tiny flies, no caddisflies. Additionally, I think the number of mosquitoes and black flies is way down...although that is comfortable from a self-centred perspective, it's somewhat unnerving. Insects visiting my flowers, whether they be on the parsnips, weeds, or the diversity of garden plants, seems way down, too. I'll be the first to say though that one summer of bad insect numbers is meaningless...it could have been a weather-related issue (three+ weeks of cloud and rain couldn't have helped). Comments? Randy _________________________________ RF Lauff Way in the boonies of Antigonish County, NS.
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