Where Did The Insects Go?

[Dave2000]

I'm noticing at night, a lack of chirping. Usually by now the drone of crickets is a reminder that summer is here. I don't mind the quiet so much as I do that I have a giant sized zucchini plant that has aborted a dozen or more shoots, and not for lack of male counterparts.

No honey bees, which weren't in large supply around here for years but we had bumble bees, sweat bees, and wasps, and everything was pollinating okay but not this year.

I always (in years past) attributed it to my neighbor excessively using pesticide, but her small lot use would not kill all crickets within hearing range elsewhere. I'm not using any pesticides except I did put the same pre-emergent weed killer on the lawn that I use every year, ~3+ months ago.

I wouldn't say we've had a noteworthy weather change either. Weather has been variable for the last few years but not especially hot or cold, little under avg. rainfall but nothing drastic. I see no natural predators that would be eating all the crickets and bees 'n such, they're just gone.

Didn't see the usual amount of ladybugs this spring either, nor even the common house fly. There must be a few beetles here and there as I see the evidence in missing leaves on a few things but few butterflies and moths too. Lightning bugs did make their appearance earlier than usual, but that and a small handful of miniature sweat bees that pollinated my herbs then left are the only insects with numbers high enough to bother counting.

Instead we have an abundance of moles this year. Yay!!

 

[digitS']

There you have it, Dave!

"A mole's diet primarily consists of earthworms and other small invertebrates found in the soil ..." Wikipedia

Invertebrates include insects ... Could that be what happened to your crickets? Don't know just wondering .

Steve

 

[ninnymary]

I'm having a lot more honey bees than the last couple of years. It did seem like they came a little late. I was beginning to worry when my peach and plum trees were blooming and there were no bees. Maybe it was me just being impatient.

Mary

 

[so lucky]

@Dave2000 do you live in a subdivision or in farm land? Or woods? When you go other places in the area, are there insects?
You might go to your local garden supply store and ask if they have been hearing about these issues. If the people who work there have gardens, they will be happy to discuss it with you.
Honey bees have been increasingly scarce around here till this year. Now there are lots. I am wondering if one of my neighbors has bee hives. But even when honey bees were scarce, other bugs weren't.

 

[Dave2000]

There's no way the moles ate that many (billions?) crickets. Besides I've dug up and disposed of all but two moles, or only one that's very ambitious. Worms and grubs we still have plenty of when I dig in the garden which is what they're after.

 

[Dave2000]

I live in a subdivision next to a wooded area with a cleared field in the middle that has a fairly large pond ~ 80 yds away. I haven't spent enough time in other areas outdoors this summer to get a good gauge of the insect population, but sound travels pretty good here and I'd hear them if they were within 1/4mi because there are so many, usually. We must have a fair # of mosquitoes though as I keep getting bitten.

I'll have to be more aware of insects locally but I usually don't think about things like that when I don't hear crickets.

 

[Dave2000]

The irony. After posting this, finally today I see evidence of stealth pollinators. 3 zucchini are getting larger like they must've been pollinated. No more eating 3" long unfertilized zucchini stumps. Thank you whoever sent that bee my way.

 

[majorcatfish]

funny you brought this up, have noticed a lack of pollinator's this year.<not saying who ever has been doing the pollinating is dropping the ball but> the one thing i have notice there are more mason bees than honey bees or bumble bees. love to find out who has them and have a talk with them...
really what to learn more about them...

 

[thistlebloom]

I may have everybodys crickets. They make noise during the day as well as all night. And they have been coming in the house somehow. You know, that really loud cricket that waits for you to go to bed and then starts chirping? And it's impossible to find him because he stops when you get up...

There seems to be a little fewer wasps. But maybe that really late freeze has something to do with that. Bees and other flying insects seem pretty normal.

 

[bobm]

This year my walkable thyme , heather, strawberries, etc. are literaly ALIVE with a swarm of honey bees, mason bees, 3 types of bumblebees.