Comment on Lightning bugs!!

• SippyCup@feddit.nl ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

  We are in the middle of an insect apocalypse.

  Remember when you were little how many fucking moths there were? Couldn’t keep the porch light on at night or they’d get in the house and you’d be finding moth carcasses all summer.

  Now there’s just a few. Hardly see any anymore.

  Same for house flies, and bees. I used to have to go and spray for wasps every spring, I don’t remember the last one I saw.

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  • 5too@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    Remember when you needed a bug shield to drive on the highway?

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    • MelodiousFunk@slrpnk.net ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

      Yes and yes (to the person you replied to). All I’m saying is that that narrative seems to be coalescing around “it’s because people raked leaves.” Does that play a part? Probably. But there’s no way it’s just that. It’s far too pervasive to be “personal actions.” The root cause has to be systemic.

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      • SippyCup@feddit.nl ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

        It’s not just the leaves, it’s humans fucking with the environment, on a macro and micro scale. But that’s harder to convey in a single panel

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      • mnemonicmonkeys@sh.itjust.works ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

        It’s also humans continually expanding and building in previously undeveloped areas. It crowds out other species.

        30 years ago it didnt matter if you raked your leaves because there were still plenty of areas for lightning bugs to migrate in from. But when everyone’s surrounded by miles of suburbs the lightning bugs have further to go for you to see them

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      • Bytemeister@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

        Raking leaves, expanding suburban sprawl (and therefore lawns), and the over-use of poisons, pesticides and fertilizers.

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      • samus12345@lemm.ee ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

        People have been raking leaves the whole time, so that’s definitely not why.

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  • match@pawb.social ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    i tell this to people all the time and they do not believe me

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  • lightnsfw@reddthat.com ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago

    Grasshoppers too. I used to fill buckets with them as a kid. I haven’t seen more than a few in the last decade.

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