UW researchers study the relationship between insects and wind turbines For some time, scientists have been sounding the alarm on the decline of various insect species due to changes in land use and how these shifts will be exacerbated by climate change. However, insects are often an afterthought in the discussion of conservation issues related to wind energy infrastructure. A recent University of Wyoming (UW) graduate led a study looking at current knowledge in the relationship between wind turbines and insects – an area of research about which little is known. UW research “The argument of the paper is insects are heavily interacting with wind energy, both positively – some insects are able to use turbines for refuge and even overwintering – and negatively – large numbers of insects are killed by striking turbines – but it is not a conservation concern we often hear discussed when it comes to renewable energy, and there is still a lot we don’t know about these interactions that merits study,” says Michelle Weschler, an assistant research scientist with UW’s Natural Wyoming Diversity Database (WYNDD). “Our paper focuses heavily on the hypothesis insects may be attracted to turbines, which could be increasing the number killed by turbines and also serve to attract vertebrate wildlife to turbines, making them vulnerable to fatally striking the blades as well,” she continues. The paper also examines ways turbines change habitat conditions, such as temperature, soundscape and wind speed and how this might affect insects, she adds. Weschler was lead author of a paper titled “Wind Energy and Insects: Reviewing the State of Knowledge and Identifying Potential Interactions,” which was published on Oct. 14 in PeerJ Life and Environment, a peer-reviewed, open access journal which publishes primary research and reviews in biology, life sciences, environmental sciences and medicine. Lusha Tronstad, lead invertebrate zoologist with UW’s WYNDD, was the second author on the paper and Weschler’s faculty adviser. Wind energy and insects In 2023, the wind industry hit a milestone of one terawatt of installed capacity globally, according to the paper. This amount of wind energy capacity is expected to double within the next decade as billions of dollars are invested annually in new wind turbine projects. As a result, wildlife mortality is a primary concern. Turbine placement,
color, shape, heat output and lighting are possible attractants of insects to turbines, according to the paper. “We examined a few of these options as potential attractants. Right now, the most evidence exists for color,” Weschler says. “There have been two studies finding evidence for increased insect attraction to the bright white paint used on most turbines globally compared to other colors.” Additionally, she says there is reason to believe insects may be attracted to the shape and placement of turbines. That is, wind turbines may be acting as markers on the landscape which could be useful congregation points for insects. “Turbines also give off heat, which definitely attracts some insects to bask on the towers. Beetles and flies, specifically, have been found to rest on towers despite the increased risk for predation,” Weschler says. “There is certainly potential for light to be an attractant. By law, turbines must have lights which flash at night, but we have yet to see solid evidence for attraction due to this, and the type of lights that are industrystandard – red and LEDs – are usually less attractive than other types of light,” she adds. While Weschler says it’s “currently impossible to identify the risk to specific species,” the paper proposes methods for extrapolating this information, such as DNA barcoding of debris scraped or washed from turbine blades. However, the answer to risk factors will be different depending on the location of a wind energy facility. The paper includes a table, which is offered as supplemental information and examines the vulnerability of different insect orders based on factors including the maximum altitude at which they’ve been surveyed and responses to stimuli such as light, heat, wind and sound, as well as flight and migration behavior, Weschler says. Based on this assessment, the table suggests moths and butterflies, beetles, flies and true bugs may be the most vulnerable to striking turbines. “Members of these orders engage in high-altitude migrations, swarming and hill-topping behavior,” Weschler says. “Additionally, some species within these orders are acutely heat-sensitive and have been found basking on turbine towers.” Study implications Weschler hopes the study’s results will be useful for researchers who are interested in insect conservation, as well as land managers and wind energy operators.
“Insects are increasingly being listed under the Endangered Species Act in the U.S., and there is global concern from entomologists regarding large-scale insect decline over the past decades,” she says. “Wind energy and renewable energy projects, in general, are rapidly growing, so I think the link between these is worth considering on a conservation level,” she continues. “Hopefully, this will inspire further studies and investigation so we can fully understand the scope of the issue.” The project’s paper was a revised and peer-reviewed version of Weschler’s master’s thesis. Weschler received her master’s degree in zoology and physiology
Gathering data – Michelle Weschler, an assistant research scientist with the University of Wyoming’s Wyoming Natural Diversity Database, examines flowering plants within a wind energy facility in southeast Wyoming. Lusha Tronstad photo
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