Source: PixabayScientists observing over 60 protected areas in Germany for nearly 30 years are troubled by a significant decline in the insect population.

Publishing their findings in the journal Plos One, researchers believe that the insect population has experienced a 75 percent decline.

"This confirms what everybody's been having as a gut feeling — the windscreen phenomenon where you squash fewer bugs as the decades go by," said Caspar Hallmann of Radboud University in The Netherlands.

According to researchers looking at thousands of different insects, including butterflies, bees and moths, the across-the-board decline has occurred regardless of weather, habitat and land use.

"We don't know exactly what the causes are,'' said Hans de Kroon, also of Radboud University, who supervised the research. ''This study shows how important it is to have good monitoring programs and we need more research right now to look into those causes — so, that has really high priority,'' said de Kroon.

As a food source for birds, bats, reptiles and more and for playing a role in the pollination process, insect decline has implications for entire ecosystems.

What's even more disturbing, according to researchers is that these losses are being discovered in nature reserves—locations designed to protect insects and wildlife.

For more on the study, go to Plos One.