Why an Insect Calculator?

How many insects inhabit this meadow? How does mowing influence the inhabitants of meadows? You'll find answers to these and many more questions right here. 

Our goal is to provide an online tool to predict the number of insects on a meadow based on the latest scientific knowledge. This prediction of insects depends on grassland management and various environmental variables. It is based on a lot of data from various studies and regions in Germany and Switzerland. Among other things, the insects collected come from various meadows in the German states of Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Brandenburg, Hesse, Lower Saxony and Thuringia. These insects were sampled from one square meter of meadow, so that the density of insects from one square meter of many different studies can be compared. 

The Insect Calculator is intended to be a scientific tool that anyone can use without any statistical knowledge. Important aspects of how mowing was carried out are calculated: Was it mown? How often per year? With which mower? At what cutting height? Other factors are also included in the calculation, such as the date, the location and the influence of sealed surfaces surrounding the area. Finally, the Insect Calculator gives us predictions based on many other data as to how many beetles, grasshoppers, cicadas etc. live on the area. In addition, the number of species of spiders, ants, grasshoppers, beetles, bugs and cicadas can be predicted for one square metre.

The Insect Calculator is interesting as an environmental education tool to give an insight into how many insects and spiders can generally be found in a meadow. The strong effects that mowing has on insects and spiders can be visualised more easily by entering the values yourself. In addition, the Insect Calculator is intended to show walkers, gardeners and practitioners in green space management or agriculture which measures have which effect. 

Have fun calculating insects!