The count of wild bee varieties in Europe confronting dying out has more than doubled over the past decade, while the number of threatened butterfly species has almost doubled.
This pressing issue for crucial pollinating species was revealed by scientific studies for the red list of threatened species, which found that at least over 170 bee types out of 1,928 were facing extinction in Europe.
The count of butterflies at risk of extinction in European nations has increased from over thirty-five to 65 since the last study, performed over a decade past. A single species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been declared extinct.
Apart from their aesthetic appeal and cultural significance, pollinating insects like bees and butterflies are lifelines for our health, our food systems and our economic systems – sustaining the fruits, vegetables and seeds that sustain us,” stated the IUCN director general. “The most recent European red list evaluations reveal major obstacles, with dangers mounting for butterflies and crucial native bee species.”
The factors of the quick recent decreases are the persistent harm or degradation of habitats caused by intensive agriculture and deserted farmland, draining wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the application of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid chemicals. The fragmentation of environments suitable for pollinators greatly increases the risk of extinctions at local level.
Global warming is also demonstrated to be a significant danger: Over half of all at-risk butterfly types in Europe are threatened by the climate change crisis – roughly double the number as a decade ago.
Nearly nine out of ten of flowering plants in Europe rely on animal pollination, as stated by the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Regrettably, native bee populations are in drastic decline and cannot readily be substituted by managed colonies,” he said. “If non-managed bees vanish, many native plants might be in danger as well – of which meadows rich in flowers and attractive orchid varieties are just a few examples.”
15 varieties of bumblebee types, which perform a vital function in aiding the pollination of legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bee species, known for aiding tree pollination such as willows and red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type unique to the mainland and the only species of this biological genus in European nations, is now classified as critically at risk – the scientific classification most akin to extinction in the wild.
Butterfly species that are exclusively located on mountain tops are especially at risk to climate change as they have to climb upward as their environments become warmer but eventually run out of space. In southern Spain, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among over forty percent of European endemics (exclusive to Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, types such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling butterfly are endangered by severe dry conditions and fires.
In the meantime, in the Arctic region, climate change is leading to the timberline to advance northwards by dozens of meters each year, with underbrush taking over wetlands and tundra. Hotter climates also mean Arctic deer can not anymore cross the frozen water to feed on Arctic grasslands and maintain them clear. Eight butterfly species are threatened with extinction in this zone, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The largest habitat for all these pollinating insects is flower-rich grassland and that is vanishing rapidly throughout the European continent because of all these reasons,” stated Martin Warren. “The positive thing is that so many individuals are aware now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all member countries have to halt the decline 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 get the encouragements that will assist them on their way.”
As per the coordinator, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of measures for pollinating species which will not decrease food production – and could improve it – such as farmers creating flower-rich margins around their farmland.
the EU’s environment commissioner, characterized the protection status of non-managed bees, butterfly species and other pollinating insects as “dire”.
“Urgent and collective action is required to address this risk. Along with member states, the European Commission has put in place an EU-wide tracking system for pollinators based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will aid in following our progress. Now, we need to concentrate on application and partnership with participating nations to preserve our pollinating species,” she said.
The publication of the assessments on bees and butterflies comes after the first European-wide evaluation of hoverflies, a further vital pollinator group. Issued in 2022, it revealed that 37% of all hoverfly species in the European continent were facing extinction.
