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BBC News
01-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Insects: 'Worrying' decline of crucial insects in NI, says charity
The decline of insects in Northern Ireland is "worrying", a charity has carries out a Bugs Matter "splat survey" every year, where people count the number of insects on a car licence plate after a journey and record the figure on an latest results in Northern Ireland show the abundance of flying insects in the countryside has fallen by 55% since 2021, but the rate of decline has across all the UK nations, the number of insect splats has fallen by 63%. The survey is expanding into the Republic of Ireland from this opened on Wednesday. 'If you like to eat, then you like our insects' Hannah Fullerton from Buglife in Northern Ireland said insects are crucial to our wellbeing."I like to remind people that, if you like to eat, then you like our insects."They also do other handy things, like they'll break down wood or leaves lying around and they help feed our mammals."And while we might be enjoying the unseasonably warm weather, she said it can pose a risk to our insect populations."Whenever the nice sunny weather comes out, our insects come out and think, great, it's time to get to work," said Hannah."And then suddenly, it begins to rain, the temperature starts to drop and that can have devastating effects for our invertebrates because they've come out of hibernation."This is resulting from climate change as well, which is a big issue that we're suffering from as well as herbicides and pesticides over-uses." The annual five-month long survey is led by Kent Wildlife Trust."This huge decrease in insect splats over such a short time is really alarming," said Dr Lawrence Ball from the Trust."It's most likely that we are seeing the compounding effects of both a background rate of decline as well as a short-term cycle of decline, perhaps linked to the extreme climate in recent years."Hopefully, splats up 6% on last year indicates a slowing decline."A larger sample of journeys from Northern Ireland will help to reveal the overall trend." Help let nature heal itself Extending the survey into the Republic of Ireland is "a crucial next step", said Rebecca Lewis from Buglife NI."To gather data on the health of insect populations on an all-Ireland basis will provide essential data to support future nature restoration efforts."Planting wildflowers, letting weeds grow and leaving some wood or small piles of stones in our gardens can help support our vulnerable insects, like solitary bees, said Hannah."If we get nature back it'll help look after itself."
BBC News
13-03-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Hospital makes changes after student nurse death, coroner says
Changes have been made at an NHS trust where a student nurse died from sepsis, a coroner has Bell, 28, died on 24 December 2022 after waiting 12 hours in A&E at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, where she had been working inquest last year concluded Ms Bell died of natural causes and the hospital was not to blame - but said the hospital did have some "learning" to Butler, senior coroner for Buckinghamshire, has written to Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, outlining how some of the shortcomings and issues identified following Ms Bell's death had been addressed. 'Unusual and tragic' In his letter, Mr Butler listed nine main areas of concerns identified following Ms Bell's death, and what changes have been made to address them. Mr Butler said that it was "clear from evidence given" during the inquest that "there has been change within the Trust."The inquest heard how Ms Bell arrived at the hospital at 22:14 GMT on 23 December 2022 but was not assessed by doctors until 07:30 on Christmas found hospital staff had not kept a log of Ms Bell's condition between 23:34 on 23 December and 10:00 the next his letter, Mr Butler said Ms Bell's case had shown shortcomings in carrying out or recording of regular observations for a significant period of is now a health care assistant allocated to the waiting room area to take regular observations, he staffing levels have also increased from 18 to 22 per shift, the letter said.A mandatory sepsis screening tool has also been brought in. "The unusual and tragic circumstances of Zoe's death serve to highlight the importance of individual care elements for patients whose needs are not as complex," Mr Butler coroner said he had not raised a report to prevent future deaths but instead reflected on things that have been identified and addressed through Ms Bell's Healthcare NHS Trust has been approached for comment by the BBC. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
