Motoring Discussion > Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of	Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Robin O'Reliant	Replies: 34

New Sat 26 Aug 17 15:20   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - Robin O'Reliant

I must say, I've noticed this over the past few summers. Cleaning the old banger today I don't think I shifted a single dead bug off the screen, then I found this in the comic- www.telegraph.co.uk/science/2017/08/26/windscreen-phenomenon-car-no-longer-covered-dead-insects/ Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 26 Aug 17 17:21   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - Runfer D'Hills

Now that is interesting. I'd noticed it too, but I'd theorised that it was to do with us all driving more slowly than we (maybe) used to, and that modern cars were possibly more aerodynamic and simply channelled more air and its contents over the top rather than ramming into it. The demise of insect populations hadn't really occurred to me. The last time I remember a serious covering of dead bugs on the front of the car though, was about 14 years ago, having driven to the south of France from the uk on a summers day and evening. Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Sat 26 Aug 17 at 17:21 Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Aug 17 10:21   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - hawkeye

Very few bugs on the un-aerodynamic C8 as I commuted to Darlington through the 50mph A1 roadworks in May/June. Presumably the lead vehicle of the convoy collected them all. Progressively more bugs as we headed south for our holidays last month. Absolutely spattered last week as I returned son to Uni across the A66 to Middlesbrough travelling for a short while at 70+ mph then at 50 through the roadworks. In the late '50s Dad had a Perspex bug-deflector that he fitted to the front of the bonnet of the Mk1 and 2 Ford Zephyr convertibles that we had then. It certainly collected a load of bugs but whether it deflected any significant number off the windscreen I couldn't say. Any one else old enough to remember the bug-deflector? Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Aug 17 10:55   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - Runfer D'Hills

>>...remember the bug-deflector? There's a new bright yellow Fiat 500 parked near us that has one. Not Perspex, but made of what appears to be some some of black webbing fabric plumped up with foam. I'll have a Google to see if I can find a pic. Last edited by: Runfer D'Hills on Sun 27 Aug 17 at 10:58 Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Aug 17 11:00   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - Runfer D'Hills

Like this - tinyurl.com/yd834a9w Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Aug 17 11:16   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - tyrednemotional

>> Like this - tinyurl.com/yd834a9w >> ...generally known as a 'car bra' and intended to eliminate stone-chips, scrapes, etc. Last edited by: tyrednemotional on Sun 27 Aug 17 at 11:16 Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Aug 17 11:34   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - Runfer D'Hills

"Car bra"? So tempting to say it might make the driver look a bit of a... But I'll resist ! ;-) Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Aug 17 11:53   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - tyrednemotional

I first came up against them (I considered re-wording that...) in Canada years ago. Given the plethora of unsurfaced roads out there, they probably served more of a purpose than simply a rather odd choice of an aftermarket accessory. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Aug 17 11:16   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - devonite

I wondered what they were! - there's a Great Wall 4x4 near us that has one fitted, bloomin ugly lookin thing it is an all! Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Aug 17 15:36   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - Duncan

>> Like this - tinyurl.com/yd834a9w >> No. Nothing like it. This is how I remember them, but in clear plastic:- tinyurl.com/ydemslve Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Aug 17 16:27   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - henry k

>> This is how I remember them, but in clear plastic:- >> >> tinyurl.com/ydemslve >> Get a proper one :-) photobucket.com/gallery/user/Lang47/media/cGF0aDovQnVnZGVmbGVjdG9yMi5qcGc=/?ref= Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 28 Aug 17 18:24   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - hawkeye

>> >> Like this - tinyurl.com/yd834a9w >> >> >> >> No. Nothing like it. >> >> This is how I remember them, but in clear plastic:- >> >> tinyurl.com/ydemslve >> Yes. Like that. More examples tinyurl.com/ydhgjx77 and there are loads on Ebay :) Last edited by: hawkeye on Mon 28 Aug 17 at 18:27 Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 26 Aug 17 17:21   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - Hard Cheese

Had loads to clean off in May/June ish. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sat 26 Aug 17 19:02   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - Cliff Pope

I don't think it can be down to car aerodynamics. I don't get insects on my Series II LandRover, and there's nothing less aerodynamic than a flat upright windscreen screen or standard BPF headlights. I can't remember when I last used squashed insect remover on any car. I think insects are evolving and learning to avoid cars, like hedgehogs. Deer haven't yet because they haven't been around in large numbers very long. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Aug 17 11:25   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - CGNorwich

Mor worrying is the possibility that the insect population is in decline, possibly due to the widespread use of insecticides in agriculture. Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Aug 17 13:19   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - Dog

ditto the beezzzzzzzzzzz Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Aug 17 16:58   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - CGNorwich

Swww.sciencemag.org/news/2017/05/where-have-all-insects-gone Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Aug 17 20:50   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - Dog

www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2ikZZDeogo Reply to this message | Report message

New Sun 27 Aug 17 23:39   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - Fullchat

Dont worry they're all on my motorcycle shield and helmet visor :) Tend to find a greater concentration in the evening when they seem to accumulate in the warmth retained and being transmitted from the road surface. Reply to this message | Report message

New Mon 28 Aug 17 09:33   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - Mike Hannon

Not an issue down here. I've seen bugs etc recently that I haven't come across for years. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 19 Oct 17 10:52   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - henry k

Scientists have long suspected that insects are in dramatic decline, but new evidence confirms this. The old evidence from most motorists is not good enough? www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-41670472 Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 19 Oct 17 10:58   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - CGNorwich

I heard that earlier on the radio Surely one of the most ominous news stories of the moment but it will be ignored in favour of Trump, Brexit, royal babies etc. The destruction of our envionrment is increasing at an ever increasing pace and it is of little interest to most people. Reply to this message | Report message       1

New Thu 19 Oct 17 11:19   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - henry k

>> The destruction of our envionrment is increasing at an ever increasing pace and it is >> of little interest to most people. >> Loosing bees will soon get attention. Over the years there are fewer and fewer species of birds in my garden. Two types of thrush went years ago and now rarely more than one blackbird. We provide nuts and seeds and do not have cats or a dog so we offer a good welcome As kids, living within 10 miles of my current home, we would easily catch a wide variety of butterflies . now I am lucky if I see one per month in the summer. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 19 Oct 17 11:45   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - Robbie34

I too have noticed a lack of bugs on the windscreen. However, I have not had any wasps in the garden this year. What has happened to them? Normally, they are a blessed nuisance damaging the apples and plums in the garden. That said, wasps do an awful lot of good and I never kill them. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 19 Oct 17 11:45   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - Harleyman

I see agriculture is being blamed. I can assure you all that there's certainly no shortage of insects on the farms I deliver to! Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 19 Oct 17 11:51   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - CGNorwich

The huge barley and wheat fields of East Anglia probably contain less bio diversity than my back garden. Acres and acres of monoculture Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 19 Oct 17 16:11   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - Boxsterboy

There are more cars on the road - fact. So even if the number of insects has remained constant, you would expect, on average, to have fewer splats on your car because the total number of splats is spread among a greater number of cars. No? Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 19 Oct 17 17:29   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - CGNorwich

No. The number of cars does not materially affect the number of bugs. THere are billions upon billions of flying insects albeit seemingly less that there were. Bugs killed by cars is not a significant cause of death to the overall bug population Whether there are 5 million cars or 10 million cars an individual car would collect the same number of bugs if the average bug density had remained the same Last edited by: CGNorwich on Thu 19 Oct 17 at 17:29 Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 19 Oct 17 17:49   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - Zero

>> Whether there are 5 million cars or 10 million cars an individual car would collect >> the same number of bugs if the average bug density had remained the same www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWCOBHAexss Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 19 Oct 17 18:04   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - Old Navy

I remembered this. (2004) so nothing new. www.independent.co.uk/environment/40000-splatometers-cant-be-wrong-insect-population-is-in-decline-546951.html Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 19 Oct 17 18:21   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - henry k

>> I remembered this. (2004) so nothing new. >> I remembered I still have an aerosol of "bug shifter" probably about that vintage . I also recall in my days of home servicing extracting many various remnants from the dented fins of my radiator in the hope that there would be slightly better airflow.:-) Perhaps its so many more big lorries clearing my route ? Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 19 Oct 17 18:45   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - CGNorwich

No nothing new. Just a more scientific confirmation of an alarming situation so we can now all stop worrying and get back to destroying the environment in the interest of making money. Reply to this message | Report message       1

New Thu 19 Oct 17 21:13   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - Haywain

"....... and get back to destroying the environment in the interest of making money." Either from trying to feed our burgeoning population or concreting over it to house them all. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 19 Oct 17 21:16   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - Old Navy

Don't worry, there will be wars or natural disasters along to thin us out. Reply to this message | Report message

New Thu 19 Oct 17 22:33   Bugs on The Windscreen...Or Lack Of - henry k

Another Samalas is overdue ? Reply to this message | Report message