Insects have hit the headlines. In some areas their numbers have declined by 75 percent in the last few decades. There is talk of insect extinction. It seems as if no group of insects is spared. On the other hand, more and more new species have been appearing recently, particularly in southwest Germany. How come? The film sets out to find those primarily responsible for the insect extinction. In impressive images, the film shows how fascinating insects are and how important they are for our environment. --------------- 00:00 Insects adapt 03:53 Fewer and fewer butterflies 05:43 Insects as pests and beneficial organisms 08:56 Insects as food and pollinators 10:49 Decline in insects 13:48 Agriculture and insects 16:16 Orchards and pastures for insect diversity 20:17 Dead trees for beetles 22:30 Children in direct contact with nature 26:11 The decline of insects and the food pyramid --------------- 1) Insects adapt There are still over 30,000 different species of insect in Germany. But more and more of them are disappearing, although they are constantly adapting: an admiral butterfly frees itself from the web of a wasp spider, ants carry 40 times their body weight and grasshoppers jump 100 times as far as their length. 2) Fewer and fewer butterflies Butterfly expert Dr. Trusch has been observing the development of butterfly populations for years and reports on the large-scale disappearance of entire species. 3) Insects as pests and beneficial organisms In the insect kingdom there are pest controllers: hornets eat flies and wasps. Hoverfly larvae eat aphids. Ants also eat lots of insects that can act as pests in forestry and agriculture. The pupa robber, a beetle, eats pupae and larvae that can threaten trees. But other insects are also useful. For example, dung beetles remove the dung of wild animals. 4) Insects as food and pollinators May beetles are a feast for lizards, and insects in general are an indispensable food in nature for birds, frogs and fish. And many plants have to be pollinated by bees in order to bear fruit. 5) Decline of insects With the help of prepared insects and databases, scientists can determine which species have almost disappeared. The sharp decline in species began in the 1950s. Black Apollo butterflies are only found in very few places in the Swabian Jura. The reason: they can no longer find enough unfertilized meadows. 6) Agriculture and insects Nowadays, agriculture is carried out using machines, and more and more poisons are being applied - with devastating side effects for the animal world. Neonicotinoids act as neurotoxins and rob bees of their sense of orientation. The poison eggs are found on plants, in the soil and in water and are effective in very small concentrations. One solution to the problem would be mechanical weed control and better connectivity of habitats. 7) Orchards and pastures for insect diversity Orchards provide space between the trees for flowers, herbs, insects and birds. Grazed areas are also good habitats. Various families of beetles and flies live off cattle and horse dung. These in turn feed on larger animals such as bats and birds. 8) Dead trees for beetles In the forest, beetles like to lay their eggs in the trunks of dead trees. Where there is too little dead wood, trees can be killed by removing a ring in the growth layer. This can increase the beetle population. 9) Children in direct contact with nature Knowledge of the importance of insects for our environment is passed on to children at the Listhof in Reutlingen, because you can only appreciate and protect what you know. Here the children can also watch how butterflies develop, from egg to caterpillar and pupa. These events lay the foundations for sustainable development. 10) The decline in insects and the food pyramid With the help of a light trap, you can identify and count moths. They are lured to a gauze with UV light. On this summer night, 51 species were counted, whereas previously there were 100 in the same place. The decline in insects has an impact on the food pyramid and ultimately on us humans. Our approach to the environment must change quickly if the ecological balance is to be maintained. #SWR #PlanetSchule --------------- ► WEB: https://planet-schule.de ► NEWSLETTER: https://www.planet-schule.de/sf/servi... ► FACEBOOK: / planetschule ► TWITTER: / swrbildung