Swiss study: insects mainly migrate at midday and dusk

A study led by the Swiss Ornithological Institute in canton Lucerne has shown that, throughout Europe, insects tend to prefer moving around midday or dusk. Understanding such migratory movements is of great importance both for the protection of insects as well as their management, study author Birgen Haest told the Keystone-SDA news agency on Tuesday. For example, the findings, published in the “Philosophical Transactions” scientific journal, make it possible to determine the optimal time for the use of insecticides. + Swiss farming trend: pesticide-free, but not organic At certain times of the year, trillions of insects travel, at altitudes of up to several hundred metres, to other locations, Haest explained. Some insects migrate hundreds to thousands of kilometres. “An insanely large biomass is moved in this way,” said Haest. Many of the insects provide vital ecosystem services such as pollinating plants. Others are pests which threaten biodiversity, cause considerable economic ...