The count of native bee species in Europe experiencing disappearance has increased twofold in the last ten years, while the number of threatened butterfly has nearly doubled.
This dire scenario for essential pollinators was unveiled by research studies for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, which found that at least 172 bee species out of nearly two thousand were at risk of extinction in the European continent.
The count of butterfly species threatened with extinction in European nations has grown from thirty-seven to 65 since the last study, carried out a decade and a half ago. One type, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
Apart from their visual charm and cultural significance, pollinators like bees and butterfly species are crucial elements for our health, our food systems and our economic systems – sustaining the produce, vegetables and seeds that feed us,” stated Grethel Aguilar. “The newest assessments of the European red list reveal significant difficulties, with dangers growing for butterfly types and crucial wild bee types.”
The factors of the swift recent drops are the ongoing destruction or damage of natural habitats caused by farming intensification and deserted farmland, draining of wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the application of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid chemicals. The division of pollinator-friendly habitat greatly increases the threat of extinctions at local level.
Global heating is also revealed to be a primary risk: 52% of all threatened butterfly types in Europe are endangered by the climate emergency – approximately twofold the amount as a ten years ago.
Up to nine out of ten of flowering plants in the European continent rely on animal pollination, as stated by the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Unfortunately, non-managed bee groups are in severe drop and are not easily replaceable by domesticated hives,” he said. “If wild bees disappear, many native plants might be threatened too – of which flower-rich meadows 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 types of cellophane bees, recognized for fertilizing trees such as willows and red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species unique to the European continent and the single type of this biological genus in European nations, is now evaluated as severely threatened – the scientific category nearest to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterfly types that are solely present on mountain tops are particularly vulnerable to climate change as they need to move uphill as their habitats become warmer but eventually have no room left. In Spain’s southern region, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among more than 40% of types unique to Europe (exclusive to Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean, types such as the critically endangered Karpathos grayling are endangered by severe drought and wildfires.
In the meantime, in the Arctic Circle, global heating is leading to the tree line to advance northwards by many meters each year, with scrub encroaching on marsh and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean caribou can no longer cross the ice to graze northern grasslands and prevent them from overgrowing. Eight types of butterflies are facing extinction in this area, including the fritillary of Freyja and the Arctic ringlet.
“The biggest habitat for all these pollinators is grassland rich in flowers and that is declining quickly throughout Europe because of all these reasons,” remarked a lead coordinator for the butterfly assessment. “The good news is that so many individuals are concerned now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all participating nations have to reverse the decline in pollinating species by 2030, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are land holders who are interested. It is hoped they can get the incentives that will assist them on their way.”
As stated by the coordinator, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of steps for pollinating insects which will not lower food production – and may enhance it – such as agricultural producers developing bloom-filled edges around their farmland.
the EU’s environment commissioner, characterized the protection status of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “dire”.
“Immediate and joint measures is needed to address this danger. Along with member countries, the Commission of the European Union has implemented an EU-wide observation system for pollinating insects based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will aid in following our advancement. Now, we need to focus on execution and cooperation with participating nations to safeguard our pollinators,” she said.
The release of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies comes after the initial EU-wide assessment of hoverflies, another crucial pollinating insect category. Published in twenty-twenty-two, it revealed that over one-third of all hoverfly varieties in the European continent were at risk of extinction.
