The great death of insects | DW Documentary

Insects are dying out and scientists and environmentalists are sounding the alarm. Our film team meets entomologists, farmers, scientists, chemical companies and politicians in a bid to lay bare the causes of insect mortality.

Insects aren’t really likeable. They sting, bite, transmit diseases and frighten children. But, on the other hand, they are also fascinating: 480 million years ago, insects were the first animals to learn to fly, and they took over the Earth. Even now, they are fundamental to life on Earth, and are at the beginning of the food chain on which all human beings are ultimately dependent.
But insect numbers worldwide are dropping, creating a rupture of the food chain. Environmentalists and scientists are now extremely worried. Landscape ecology professor Alexandra-Maria Klein from Freiburg, for example, has been researching the effects of human interventions in natural environments for decades and has launched an experiment in a fruit plantation on Lake Constance: What happens when insects disappear? An ominous silence is settling on places that were once humming and buzzing. Why are the insects dying? Author Christoph Würzburger takes a journey into the fascinating world of insects and meets entomologists, farmers, scientists, chemical companies and politicians in a search for the causes of insect mortality.

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[jackkuppens]

Fantastic video and it shows what too many people have done to our mother earth and the lack of respect please keep showing and making these documentaries they are the real story we need to see and use media such as this to educate and reform peoples greedy attitudes and it shows all people still need to learn so much about the real life, Thank you for this very, very nice.

[pony]

I remember in the 80's and even 90's cars were covered with dead insects. Now you can drive few hundreds kilometres and there will be none.

[teknical]

I have been telling people this for two years now. Nothing on your windscreen and number plate of your car, there used to be thousands every year.
The irony of this statement is not lost on me.

[tomasbisciak]

we need more documentaries like these cause many dont realize how much their life will be changed in few years.

[Grumpymillennial]

I always thought nothing would be able to top BBC Documentaries. Now, I’m thinking DW documentaries are as informative, fair and fascinating to watch and learn something useful.
I admit that I sometimes play documentary films as background noise while I’m doing something else, but with DW documentary films often I have to rewind.

[mmushu]

Great work, so important that DW raise these subjects along with scientists.
Raise awareness.

[spellonyou]

This is happening around the world, I live in Indonesia where in 90's when I growing up, I always love doing bug hunting around my yard and found various kinds of insects, ladybug, butterflies, beetles, dragonflies, bees and etc. Right now, it is yard still full with flowers and trees but the lack of other living organism such as insects and wild birds make the yard feel so void, I miss the buzzing sound from the insects, it is pure beauty.

[robertwilson]

There have been no insects on my car windshield all summer, 2019, here in coastal Alabama, USA...Previously, it was a daily task to clean the windshield...a very few birds are present except for the seed eaters. No one seems to notice or care.

[joenico]

After recently visiting Germany and despite it having a beautiful landscape the lack of birds was something I actually noticed and pointed out. This video explains why

[evenberg]

I am happy to see that there are massive studies on this subject,
but I fear that it is too little, too late.

[samuelkmbijiwe]

Every creature has reason to be on earth. They were created on a purpose and we must respect that.

[tomjohn]

I live in a small rural community, sadly, they have replaced soft yellow street lights with very bright white LED lights to save energy, but these lights are having a negative effects on both insects, plants and trees...this was a great documentary, thank you !!

[TomTom-xpjb]

Love Deutsche Vella!!! The best doc's, period!!! Your passion for your craft is obvious. Please don't ever stop!!! The world needs this!!!Thankyou so much!!! Best regards from Canada!!! 🇨🇦

[lisad]

I own 36 acres in the Ouachita National Forest, Arkansas. I relocated from southern California in 2004. Half of my property is forest, the other half is meadow. When I moved here, lightning bugs were only around for a couple of weeks. 15 years later, they emerge in early June and remain (by the thousands) until mid September. My property is very noisy from insect music from spring to fall. Absolutely no spraying and the meadows grow wild with just one mowing a year. I look out at dusk and the air is filled with life. Hardly any mosquitoes.

[jeremystanton]

I'm a hunter/fisherman and I have mentioned insecticide dangers on numerous Facebook groups and every time it's the same feedback. "If you ate today thank a farmer". I have been saying for years now that farmers are the biggest polluters in the world, but people treat them as saints

[oliviachipperfield]

I have noticed this year that there are hardly any insects around. It's very alarming!!! I have broken down into tears about this.

[MAKAKA-by]

I spotted too little insects around me few years ago.I asked many people around me if they also think that there is too little insects around us.And yes, it is reality.So sad, so dangerous.

[stevemercury]

We've lost our way. The contrast between what it was like when I was a kid in the 60's and now is phenomenal. To think in just 60 years so much would be gone. There use to be incredible numbers of aphids, butterflies, catepillars, crickets, moths, bees. Now even where we are in a rural setting, a light bulb outside at night gathers no flying insects.

[atuljoshi]

I have been regularly watching DW documentaries for last one month. Oh My God ! they are so informative, I can't pass a day without watching those. ❤

[franklyspeaking]

Let’s not use the term “Pesticide”. They’re not pests. “Insecticide” is more accurate.