The total of wild bee species in Europe experiencing disappearance has increased twofold in the last ten years, and the count of endangered butterfly species has almost doubled.
This dire scenario for crucial pollinating insects was unveiled by research studies for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, which established that at least over 170 bee types out of 1,928 were facing extinction in Europe.
The count of butterfly species threatened with extinction in European nations has grown from thirty-seven to over sixty since the earlier research, performed over a decade past. One species, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
In addition to their visual charm and cultural significance, pollinators like bees and butterfly species are crucial elements for our physical condition, our food chains and our economic systems – maintaining the fruits, veggies and seeds that feed us,” commented the IUCN’s director general. “The latest assessments of the European red list reveal major obstacles, with threats growing for butterfly species and essential wild bee types.”
The factors of the swift recent drops are the continuing harm or degradation of natural habitats caused by intensive agriculture and abandoned land, draining of wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the utilization of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid pesticides. The division of environments suitable for pollinators significantly raises the risk of local extinctions.
Climate change is also demonstrated to be a significant danger: Over half of all threatened butterfly types in Europe are threatened by the climate change crisis – approximately twice as many as a decade ago.
Up to 90% of plants that flower in the European continent depend on insect pollination, according to the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Sadly, non-managed bee groups are in drastic decline and cannot be easily replaced by managed colonies,” he said. “If wild bees vanish, many non-cultivated plants might be in danger as well – of which flower-rich meadows and beautiful orchid species are just a few examples.”
Fifteen types of bumblebee types, which have an essential part in fertilizing legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bee species, known for pollinating trees such as willows along with red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type found only in the European continent and the sole species of this biological genus in the European continent, is now assessed as critically at risk – the scientific category most akin to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterflies that are only found on high-altitude areas are highly susceptible to global warming as they have to climb upward as their habitats become more heated but ultimately exhaust available space. In Spain’s southern region, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among over forty percent of types unique to Europe (exclusive to Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, species such as the critically endangered grayling of Karpathos are endangered by intense wildfires and drought.
Meanwhile, in the Arctic region, climate change is causing the forest boundary to move north by many meters each year, with scrub taking over bog and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean caribou can not anymore cross the frozen water to browse Arctic grasslands and maintain them clear. Eight types of butterflies are threatened with extinction in this area, including Freyja’s fritillary and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The greatest living space for all these pollinating species is grassland rich in flowers and that is disappearing very fast in Europe because of all these reasons,” said Martin Warren. “The encouraging aspect is that so many citizens are concerned now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the European Union nature restoration law, all participating nations have to halt the decrease in pollinating insects by 2030, and they are going to have to begin taking action. There are landowners who are interested. Let’s hope they can receive the motivations that will support them on their way.”
As stated by Martin Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of action for pollinating species which will not decrease crop yields – and might boost it – such as agricultural producers establishing margins rich in flowers around their fields.
the EU’s environment commissioner, portrayed the protection status of non-managed bees, butterfly species and other pollinating insects as “severe”.
“Prompt and unified steps is required to tackle this threat. Together with participating nations, the EU Commission has implemented an Europe-wide monitoring system for pollinating insects based on the EU nature restoration law, which will help to track our progress. Now, we need to focus on application and cooperation with member states to safeguard our pollinating species,” she said.
The release of the bee and butterfly assessments is subsequent to the first EU-wide evaluation of hoverflies, another vital pollinator group. Issued in 2022, it showed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly types in European nations were at risk of extinction.
