The count of native bee species in Europe facing dying out has more than doubled over the past decade, and the number of at-risk butterfly has nearly doubled.
This critical situation for essential pollinating species was unveiled by scientific assessments for the IUCN red list, which found that at least over 170 bee species out of over 1900 were facing extinction in European nations.
The count of butterfly types threatened with extinction in the European continent has grown from 37 to 65 since the earlier research, carried out 14 years ago. One type, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been declared extinct.
In addition to their aesthetic appeal and cultural significance, pollinating insects like bees and butterflies are crucial elements for our physical condition, our food supplies and our economies – supporting the produce, vegetables and seeds that sustain us,” commented Grethel Aguilar. “The newest European red list evaluations reveal significant difficulties, with threats growing for butterflies and crucial non-managed bee types.”
The causes of the quick recent decreases are the continuing destruction or damage of living environments caused by agricultural intensification and abandoned land, draining wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the application of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid pesticides. The fragmentation of pollinator-friendly habitat significantly raises the threat of extinctions at local level.
Global heating is also shown to be a significant danger: Over half of all endangered butterfly species in the European continent are endangered by the climate emergency – about twice as many as a ten years ago.
As many as 90% of plants that flower in European nations require pollination by animals, as stated by the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Regrettably, non-managed bee populations are in severe drop and are not easily replaceable by domesticated hives,” he said. “If native bees disappear, many wild plants might be in danger as well – of which flower-rich meadows and beautiful orchid species are just a few examples.”
15 varieties of bumblebee types, which perform a vital function in pollinating legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bee types, recognized for fertilizing trees such as willows along with red maples, are now classified as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species unique to the European continent and the sole species of this biological genus in Europe, is now assessed as critically at risk – the scientific classification most akin to disappearance in the wild.
Butterflies that are solely present on mountain tops are especially at risk to climate change as they must ascend higher as their habitats become more heated but in the end have no room left. In southern Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among above 40 percent of types unique to Europe (solely present in Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, varieties such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling are threatened by extreme wildfires and drought.
In the meantime, in the Arctic region, climate change is resulting in the forest boundary to shift northward by many meters each year, with underbrush encroaching on bog and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean reindeer can no more cross the ice to feed on Arctic meadows and keep them open. 8 butterfly varieties are threatened with extinction in this zone, including the fritillary of Freyja and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The largest habitat for all these pollinating insects is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is vanishing rapidly in the European continent because of all these reasons,” remarked a lead coordinator for the butterfly assessment. “The encouraging aspect is that so many people are concerned now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all participating nations have to reverse the drop in pollinating species by the year 2030, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are property owners who are engaged. We hope they can receive the incentives that will support them on their way.”
According to Warren, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of measures for pollinating insects which won’t reduce food production – and could improve it – such as agricultural producers developing margins rich in flowers around their fields.
the EU’s environment commissioner, characterized the protection status of non-managed bees, butterfly species and other pollinating insects as “critical”.
“Urgent and collective action is needed to address this danger. Together with member countries, the Commission of the European Union has implemented an Europe-wide tracking system for pollinators based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will aid in following our progress. Now, we need to prioritize execution and collaboration with member states to safeguard our pollinating species,” she said.
The publication of the assessments on bees and butterflies follows the pioneering EU-wide assessment of hoverflies, a further vital group of pollinators. Issued in 2022, it showed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly species in European nations were at risk of extinction.
