Home- Summer 2016

I have seen very little insect life, in terms of number, variety of species and size of individuals, compared to previous summers. Mostly there have been tiny moths and beetles of about 1/2 inch length or less. Some species, like Web Spinners or embioptera, are diminishing in numbers. Years ago there were clouds of them around my house, this summer I saw about a dozen individuals, one a week or so. I attribute this lack of diversity and number to the continued dry conditions, and to the required brush clearance in hillside areas, which removes much of the habitat for insects and other wildlife.

Posted on 13 October, 2016 23:07 by crayonsss