Where Have All the Insects Gone? Britain's Insect Decline and Why Ants Matter
Twenty years ago, a summer evening drive on the M25 could leave the windscreen and number plate covered in insects. Today, we notice far fewer splats after similar journeys. It is a change many drivers recognise.
After nearly 30 years of keeping and studying ants, we have watched this change happen around us. A few years ago, we fitted fly screens to every door and window. Now, we rarely see house flies coming indoors. Summer evenings seem quieter, and that worries us.
Our own observations are only one small part of the picture. Research has recorded worrying declines in insect abundance in Britain and beyond. In this guide, we look at the evidence from the UK, the United States and other parts of the world, why ants matter, and practical ways families can help.
The Windscreen Test | What the Bug Splat Data Shows
The phrase "windscreen phenomenon" describes the familiar observation that fewer insects seem to hit our cars than in the past. Memories alone cannot measure a national trend, but standardised surveys can help test what is happening.
The citizen science survey Bugs Matter, run by Kent Wildlife Trust and Buglife, measures insect splat rates on vehicle number plates as an indicator of flying insect abundance. Volunteers clean their number plates before a journey, then count the insect splats afterwards.
The results are alarming:
The 2025 report estimated a 59% reduction in flying insect splat rates across the UK between 2021 and 2025.
An earlier analysis comparing 2004 with 2023 reported a 78% reduction across the UK and an 83% reduction in England.
These comparisons cover different, overlapping periods and should not be added together or treated as consecutive losses.
You can read the published findings in the 2025 Bugs Matter survey results from Buglife.
The survey is a useful warning signal, not a census of every UK insect. Weather, insect activity, vehicle characteristics and roadside sampling can influence the results. Those limitations deserve attention, but they do not make the recorded declines something to ignore.
Insect Decline Beyond Britain
The warning extends well beyond our gardens. Studies of flying insects, grasshoppers and ants show serious losses in different parts of the world. These studies measure different things, so their percentages cannot be added together or turned into one worldwide total.
German protected areas lost over three quarters of flying insect biomass
A 2017 study of 63 protected areas in Germany estimated a decline of more than 75% in flying-insect biomass over 27 years. Biomass means the combined mass of the insects caught. Losing that much insect life from monitored protected areas is an alarming warning about the food available to insect-eating wildlife. The figure applies to those German sites, rather than every insect worldwide.
United States grasshoppers declined over roughly two decades
At Konza Prairie in Kansas, researchers analysed two grasshopper records covering 1996–2017 and 2002–2017. A 2020 study reported annual declines of about 2.1–2.7%, after accounting for population cycles. These are findings from one prairie ecosystem, but they show why concern extends beyond bees and butterflies.
The researchers also found that grass biomass increased while concentrations of important nutrients in the foliage fell. Declining food quality was linked to the grasshopper losses. A landscape can look greener while providing poorer food for the insects living there.
Worldwide research links warming and intensive farming to fewer insects
A 2022 study in Nature found almost 50% fewer insects and 27% fewer insect species in communities exposed to intensive agriculture and greater historical warming, compared with less-disturbed habitats experiencing less warming. This compares different environmental conditions; it does not mean half of all insects on Earth have disappeared. It shows how serious the combined pressures can be.
Why there is no single worldwide decline percentage
Some populations are stable or increasing. A US radar study published in 2025 found no overall decline in daytime flying-insect density across the contiguous United States during 2012–2021, although local trends varied. Its ten-year window cannot tell us what was lost before monitoring began, and radar does not measure every insect group. The evidence points to serious losses in particular communities, alongside major gaps in our knowledge.
These differences do not make the losses harmless. Insects feed other wildlife, recycle nutrients and help plants reproduce. When their populations shrink, the effects can spread through the ecosystems that support us. We do not need a single global percentage to recognise that protecting their habitats matters now.
Separate UK evidence also shows why we should avoid treating all insects as one uniform group. Official statistics published in June 2026 reported that hoverfly abundance in the Great Britain pan-trap survey fell by around a third between 2017 and 2024, while solitary bee abundance increased. These are relatively short time series with substantial annual variation, but they reinforce the need to look at particular groups and habitats.
Why Are Insects Disappearing?
There is no single cause. Scientists point to habitat loss, intensive farming, pesticides, pollution, artificial light at night and climate change, all working together. Paved driveways, tidy gardens and short, sprayed lawns leave insects with fewer places to live, feed and breed.
Why Ants Matter More Than Ever
When people think of insect decline, they usually think of bees and butterflies. Ants rarely get a mention, yet they are some of the hardest-working animals on the planet.
In 2022, scientists estimated that around 20 quadrillion ants live on Earth. That worked out at roughly 2.5 million ants for every person at the time. Measured as dry carbon, their combined biomass was estimated to exceed that of all the world's wild birds and wild mammals put together.
Ants are not just numerous. They hold whole ecosystems together, as we explain in our guide to how ants and the environment thrive together.
Ants Plant Wildflowers
A 2009 review estimated that at least 11,000 plant species, around 4.5% of the flowering plant species recognised at the time, have seeds adapted for dispersal by ants. Many of these seeds carry a fatty food reward called an elaiosome. Ants carry the seed away, eat the reward and may leave the seed somewhere suitable for germination.
Ants Feed Birds and Other Wildlife
The green woodpecker's diet is dominated by ants, and ants are also food for many other birds, as well as frogs, toads, lizards and spiders. Fewer insects mean less food for the birds we love to see in our gardens.
In old meadows, the domed anthills of the yellow meadow ant are a sign of healthy, undisturbed grassland. You can learn more about this gentle native species in our guide to looking after a yellow meadow ant farm at home.
Ants Helped Bring Back a British Butterfly
The large blue butterfly became extinct in Britain in 1979. Researchers discovered that protecting its flowers was not enough: its caterpillars also needed a particular ant, Myrmica sabuleti.
After feeding on flowers, the caterpillars are carried into ant nests, where they feed on ant brood. Reduced grazing had allowed grass to grow taller, cooling the ground and making conditions unsuitable for the host ants. Restoring the right habitat for the ants helped make the butterfly's reintroduction possible.
The UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology documents this remarkable conservation story. It shows why protecting an overlooked insect can help save another, and why different insects need different habitats.
Ants Clean and Feed the Soil
Ants move soil, mix in organic matter and create tunnels that can help air and water enter the ground. They also collect dead insects, recycling nutrients through the food web. Ants are an important part of a living garden and can usually be left undisturbed.
Are Ants Declining Too?
We do not yet have a comprehensive long-term picture of ant abundance across the UK. Global researchers have also highlighted major gaps in our knowledge of ant population trends. That does not mean every species is declining, or that common garden ants are disappearing everywhere. Habitat loss and unsuitable management can still threaten particular species and colonies. Our wood-ant conservation article explores the importance of their woodland habitats. Scotland's characteristic mound-building wood ants include Formica aquilonia and Formica lugubris, which belong to the Formica rufa group but are different species from Formica rufa itself.
For Scotland's wood-ant species and their habitat requirements, see the Forestry Commission's guide to forests and wood ants in Scotland.
England's Rarest Ant | A Stolen Nest in Devon
In mid-October 2026, conservation researchers on Devon Wildlife Trust's Chudleigh Knighton Heath nature reserve found a hollow and spade marks where a nest of narrow-headed ants (Formica exsecta) had been. The reserve is the species' last stronghold in England, and the theft was reported to Devon and Cornwall Police. A narrow-headed ant nest is not sold anywhere and has no legitimate market, so it is literally priceless. Mature colonies grow slowly and take years to replace.
After nearly 30 years of keeping ants, we believe there is still hope. Wood ants move deep underground once autumn nights turn cold, and the queen usually sits in the deepest chamber, around a metre down in a mild county like Devon. If the thief dug less than a metre, the queen and her remaining workers may well rebuild the colony. It is a stark reminder that even England's rarest insects are not safe from people.
Fiji offers a warning about native ants
A 2025 study published in Science used DNA from museum specimens to reconstruct the population histories of ants in Fiji. Researchers found evidence of decline in 79% of the endemic species studied, the ants found naturally only in Fiji. Much of the inferred decline occurred within the most recent few hundred years. Meanwhile, recently introduced ant species were expanding.
This does not mean 79% of Fiji's individual ants have vanished. It means most of the unique local species studied showed evidence of shrinking populations. The findings come from genetic reconstruction, rather than annual colony counts. For ant lovers, the warning is clear: seeing lots of ants does not necessarily mean native ant diversity is safe. Introduced species can thrive while local species struggle.
That is exactly why ants need more friends, more watchers and more people who understand them. Our guide to UK ant species is a great place to start, and you can meet the species we keep on our native UK ant species page.
How Your Family Can Help Insects Survive
Many insects can respond positively when suitable habitat is restored, although recovery varies between species and can take time. You do not need a farm or a nature reserve to contribute: a garden, balcony or shared green space can provide food and shelter.
Make Your Garden Insect-Friendly
Leave a wild corner with long grass, fallen leaves and old logs.
Mow less often in part of the garden, and let dandelions and clover flower. Keep some sunny, shorter or sparsely vegetated patches too, so different insects have different habitats.
Plant native wildflowers and flowering shrubs.
Avoid pesticides, slug pellets and weed killers wherever you can.
Switch off outdoor lights at night, because artificial light confuses many flying insects.
Leave Garden Ants in Peace
Ants are an important part of garden wildlife and should usually be tolerated. They can sometimes disturb soil around roots or protect aphids, so they are not beneficial in every situation. If ants come indoors, remove accessible food, clean their trails and seal entry points where practical, rather than automatically treating the outdoor colony with poison.
The Royal Horticultural Society recommends tolerating garden ants wherever possible and explains the occasional problems they can cause.
Every summer, winged queens and males take to the air during the mating flights often called Flying Ant Day. These flights happen on different dates in different places, rather than on one nationwide day. If your children find a queen, our guide on what to do next with a newly caught queen ant explains how to give her the best start.
Join the Bugs Matter Survey
During the survey season, families in the UK can take part in Bugs Matter using its free app. Check the organisers' website for the current dates and instructions. Record journeys you are already making, rather than driving extra miles for the survey, and only inspect the number plate when safely parked. It is a useful project to do with children on a family journey.
Bring Ants Into Your Home
Helping children care about insects is an investment in their future. Watching a living colony grow can turn curiosity into a lasting interest in wildlife. Children discover that ants are living animals with complex societies, different roles and young to care for. Keeping ants is an educational opportunity, while protecting wild habitats remains essential.
A real ant farm with a live queen turns a bedroom shelf into a window on nature. Our ant farms for kids are designed for young beginners, and the Lucas ant farm starter kit comes with a built-in digital temperature and humidity meter. Black garden ants are a favourite native species, and our black garden ant care guide shows how easy they are to look after.
For curious young scientists, try our ant farm science experiments for kids, or share some of these amazing ant facts your kids will love.
One warning: avoid gel ant farms and worker-only kits if you want to keep a growing colony. In familiar beginner species such as black garden ants, a queen is needed to produce replacement workers. Some ant workers can lay unfertilised eggs that develop into males, but this does not make a worker-only setup a lasting, growing colony.
Our Promise to the Planet
At Best Ants UK, we believe ant keeping should help insects, not harm them. Every ant farm we make is 100% recyclable, and our packaging is 100% recyclable. Our environmental commitment also includes CO₂-neutral shipping. We are proud to have won the Most Eco-Friendly Pet Products award in both 2024 and 2025. You can read more about our environmental commitment.
This Christmas, every ant farm you buy also contributes to our tree-planting pledge. We will use money from our Christmas ant farm sales to fund the planting of 30 new native trees in the UK, marking 30 years of ant-keeping experience on 4 January 2027. The trees will be planted according to our chosen provider's normal schedule. Once planting is confirmed, we will share the certificate and planting details with our customers.
Every colony also comes with real, expert support. Behind every order are nearly 30 years of ant-keeping experience, and we reply to young ant keepers and their parents quickly, even on evenings, weekends and bank holidays. Every live colony is also covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee.
Looking for an eco-friendly Christmas gift that teaches children to love nature? Browse our Christmas ant farms, a sustainable STEM gift that keeps on giving all year round, and that helps plant 30 native trees in the UK.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much have insects declined in the UK?
The 2025 Bugs Matter report estimated a 59% reduction in flying insect splat rates on UK vehicle number plates between 2021 and 2025. An earlier comparison reported a 78% reduction between 2004 and 2023. These figures describe different, overlapping periods and cannot be added together. They are indicators of flying insect abundance, not a count of every insect in the UK.
Why are there no bugs on my windscreen any more?
Fewer insect splats are consistent with research recording declines in flying insect abundance, but a single journey cannot tell us how many insects remain. Weather, season, route and vehicle characteristics also affect splat numbers. Habitat loss, pesticide use, pollution and climate change are among the pressures affecting insect populations.
Are ants declining in the UK?
We do not yet have a comprehensive long-term picture of ant abundance across the UK. Trends vary between species and locations. Protecting suitable habitats, including grassland, heathland and woodland, helps support native ant populations.
How many ants are there in the world?
A 2022 study estimated around 20 quadrillion ants worldwide. That was roughly 2.5 million ants per person using the human population at the time. It is a scientific estimate, not an exact count.
Are ant farms good for the environment?
A well-made ant farm with a live queen can support a colony for many years and help children learn to value insects. Its educational value depends on responsible sourcing and proper care; keeping ants does not replace protecting wild insects and their habitats. Choose a recyclable ant farm with a live queen, and avoid gel farms and worker-only kits if you want a growing colony.
Is Best Ants UK planting trees?
We have pledged to fund the planting of 30 new native trees in the UK using money from our Christmas ant farm sales, marking 30 years of ant-keeping experience on 4 January 2027. Planting will follow our chosen provider's normal schedule, and we will share the certificate and planting confirmation afterwards.
Insects Have Not Gone for Good
Fewer insects on our windscreens are a warning, but the story is not finished. Habitat restoration can help insect populations recover, and the return of the large blue butterfly shows what careful conservation can achieve. Every wild corner, every unsprayed lawn and every child who grows up fascinated by ants can contribute to a more hopeful future.
Ants have been part of life on Earth for more than 100 million years. Protecting their habitats now gives future generations a better chance to discover their extraordinary world.
