The number of non-managed bee types in the European continent confronting disappearance has more than doubled in the last ten years, while the total of at-risk butterfly species has nearly doubled.
This critical situation for vital pollinators was disclosed by scientific studies for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, which found that at least over 170 bee species out of 1,928 were at risk of extinction in Europe.
The count of butterflies facing extinction in the European continent has increased from thirty-seven to over sixty since the previous assessment, conducted 14 years ago. One species, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been declared extinct.
In addition to their visual charm and cultural importance, pollinating species like bees and butterflies are lifelines for our physical condition, our food chains and our economic systems – supporting the produce, vegetables and seeds that sustain us,” said the IUCN’s director general. “The most recent assessments of the European red list reveal major obstacles, with threats mounting for butterfly species and crucial non-managed bee types.”
The reasons of the rapid recent declines are the persistent damage or destruction of habitats caused by intensive agriculture and abandoned land, draining of wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the utilization of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid pesticides. The breaking up of pollinator-friendly habitat greatly increases the danger of local extinctions.
Global heating is also demonstrated to be a significant danger: Over half of all endangered butterfly types in European nations are endangered by the climate emergency – about twice as many as a decade ago.
As many as ninety percent of plants that flower in the European continent depend on pollination by animals, as stated by the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Sadly, native bee groups are in severe drop and cannot readily be substituted by managed colonies,” he said. “If non-managed bees disappear, many wild plants might be threatened too – of which bloom-filled grasslands and beautiful orchid species are just a handful of illustrations.”
Fifteen species of bumblebee species, which have an essential part in pollinating crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bee species, known for fertilizing trees such as willows along with red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species unique to the mainland and the sole species of this genus in Europe, is now assessed as critically at risk – the research category nearest to extinction in the wild.
Butterfly types that are solely present on mountain peaks are particularly vulnerable to global heating as they must ascend higher as their environments become hotter but eventually run out of space. In Spain’s southern region, the Nevada grayling and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among above 40 percent of types unique to Europe (only found in Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, types such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling butterfly are imperilled by severe drought and wildfires.
In the meantime, in the Arctic region, climate change is leading to the timberline to shift northward by tens of metres each year, with scrub taking over marsh and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean Arctic deer can no more cross the ice sheets to browse Arctic meadows and prevent them from overgrowing. 8 butterfly varieties are at risk of extinction in this zone, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The largest environment for all these pollinating insects is grassland rich in flowers and that is declining quickly across European nations because of all these factors,” stated a lead coordinator for the butterfly assessment. “The encouraging aspect is that so many people are aware now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the European Union nature restoration law, all participating nations have to halt the decrease in pollinators by the year 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are property owners who are involved. It is hoped they can obtain the encouragements that will assist them on their way.”
According to Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of measures for pollinating species which won’t reduce food production – and may enhance it – such as agricultural producers creating bloom-filled edges around their farmland.
Jessika Roswall, portrayed the protection status of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “critical”.
“Urgent and collective action is needed to address this danger. Together with member countries, the European Commission has implemented an EU-wide tracking system for pollinating species based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will assist in monitoring our progress. Now, we need to concentrate on application and cooperation with participating nations to preserve our pollinating insects,” she said.
The issuance of the assessments on bees and butterflies is subsequent to the pioneering EU-wide study on hoverflies, another essential group of pollinators. Published in 2022, it revealed that 37% of all hoverfly species in Europe were facing extinction.
