#525: Bugs Matter 2025 results

The annual Bugs Matter survey results are out.

This draws its data from the bugs that are splattered on license plates after car journeys. The paper templates I used to use have been replaced by a digital version with before and after images.

In years past, a journey would have resulted in a lot of insects that would need to be cleaned off windscreens.

Terrifyingly, the loss of those insects is a sign of deep problems for food chains and ecosystems generally.

Headline summary:

Thanks to all the citizen scientists who took part in 2025, we can now share the shocking results discovered thanks to Bugs Matter.

The 2025 Bugs Matter findings, which are published in a report released by Kent Wildlife Trust and Buglife (Bugs Matter Summary Report 2025), show that the number of flying insects sampled on vehicle number plates across the UK has fallen by a staggering 59% in just 5 years. Analysis of records from more than 25,000 journeys shows an alarming annual average decline in bug splats of 19%, since the survey began in 2021. These findings are consistent with research which has widely reported declining trends in insect populations globally.

#465: Bugs Matter Survey - take part

Until the end of September you can take part in the annual Bugs Matter survey to measure the presence of insects. This uses a smartphone app now, rather than a paper template which used to be the case. Contribute to this citizen science initiative.

The Bugs Matter citizen science survey is an important initiative measuring insect splats on vehicle number plates as a marker of insect abundance. In previous survey years, with the valuable contributions of citizen scientists across the UK, we have made significant strides in understanding the challenges facing our insect populations.

This year, we need your help, once again, to build on our knowledge and make our impact even greater. Sharing the findings from your journeys will help us understand more about our insect populations, as growing evidence highlights their declines on a global scale.

Your participation in this nature survey is vital for us to monitor population trends, address causes of insect loss, halt and reverse them.

This is how the survey works:

 

And here's why it matters...