Post by @mathias@sharkey.world

2026-08-07 08:45 UTC

It is not that I'm a huge fan of mosquitos, wasps, flies, bees, bumblebees (they are cool though) etc, but is it only here there has been a distinct lack of them this summer? And I mean ANY of them? Normally during summers (in my part of Sweden) you need an actual strategy combined with serious preparations to fight off mosquitos and wasps from destroying a BBQ evening, where mosquitos eat you and wasps fly away with your steak. This year I think I've smashed one unfortunate (desperate?) mosquito who was caught in the act. I have only seen wasps one-at-a-time looking for their mates in a slighly confused state, not the orchestrated and organised food-stealing gangs, with thugs to keep pesky humans away whilst others do the lifting of food. I mean, if there are no insects to pollinate things and to feed birds, perhaps we should be slightly worried, no? #insects #summer #mosquitos #wasps

Replies (5)

@JizzelEtBass@kolektiva.social 2026-08-07 11:32

@mathias@sharkey.world Oops, completely misread this post, you are noticing a lack of flying insect biodiversity. I wrote a whole mitigation strategy in {} before I reread your post. In that case, the only real thing you can provide is habitat for flying insects. Wood bees and Bumblebees overwinter in wooden homes. General flying insects will overwinter in piles of brush/leaves. { I recommend a two-fold approach, insecticide for biting insects and decoys for beneficial ones: 1) Wear long sleeved & Light clothing, and Coat your clothes with 0.5% permethrin. Once this dries, it is low odor, and kills biting insects when they land and walk around on your clothing. 2) For wasps, bees, etc, I recommend putting out a Meat and or sugary drink sacrificial offering away from your picnic area, and using a fan to keep the bugs away from the main food area. }

Open ##4490907
@felixthehat@kafeneio.social 2026-08-07 09:45

@mathias@sharkey.world @NellytheWillow@mastodon.social I am being devoured by mosquitoes in Athens this year when last year I had almost no bites. Maybe your Swedish mosquitoes have all come to Greece on holiday

Open ##4490909
@venite@mastodon.nl 2026-08-07 09:34

@mathias@sharkey.world Here in .nl we have a lavender patch buzzing with bumble bees and I’ve been stung by a wasp, but I do recognise what you’re saying, it’s getting more and more quiet

Open ##4490910
@oleastre@social.trom.tf 2026-08-07 10:34

@mathias@sharkey.world In Belgium it is a bit nuanced. I see lots of wild bees and bumble bees but very few honeybees this year. And until now one european and three asian hornets, less than usual and they seemed ill.

Open ##5130540
@uastronomer@mastodon.monoceros.co.za 2026-08-07 09:02

@mathias@sharkey.world This is how I feel about it. I don't actually like insects, it took the first 40 years of my life to learn not to freak out when one lands on me, I'm not saying I want them in my life, in my house, near my food. But. They're supposed to be there. They're a very foundational part of the ecosystem. And now that they're mostly gone, I'm very very nervous.

Open ##5130551