Citizens are encouraged to monitor insect populations in their own yards during the German 'insect summer'.

• The NABU, Germany's Nature And Biodiversity Conservation Union, is hosting its seventh annual "insect summer" event, where participants are encouraged to count the insects they see in a 33-foot radius for one hour.
• The project aims to inform the public about insects while also collecting data on trends and surprising discoveries from researchers.
• The decline of insect populations in recent decades is commonly attributed to human activities, such as the use of harmful chemicals and the destruction of natural habitats.

Between the Natural History Museum in Berlin and a bustling street, bumblebees buzz quickly from flower to flower while a ladybug travels along a leaf filled with aphids and insects scuttle about.

This year, gardens, balconies, verges, fields, woods, and patches of wilderness across Germany will be the setting for the seventh annual "insect summer" organized by the Nature And Biodiversity Conservation Union (NABU). NABU has invited people to spend an hour counting the insects they see in a 33-foot radius.

Laura Breitkreuz, an expert on biodiversity and entomology at NABU, states that the occurrence of a few insects that are typically found only in the south and are now spreading further north, including the violet carpenter bee, is a sign of advancing climate change and warmer temperatures.

The citizen science project aims to increase public recognition of insects, although it does not provide precise scientific monitoring, it can still provide researchers with valuable information on trends and unexpected insights.

Insects are vital to ecosystems, serving as pollinators, food sources, and soil maintainers. However, insect populations have been declining in recent years, with factors such as chemical use, habitat destruction, and climate change being attributed to this decline.

Breitkreuz highlights the lack of knowledge about insects as a contributing factor to people's lack of appreciation for them. She emphasizes the importance of educating people about the greatness and interest of insects.

During the two insect-counting events from May 31 to June 9 and Aug. 2-11, organizers have made available a form and a mobile app to assist people in identifying and reporting their sightings of firebugs and lacewings. No equipment is required to participate.