The count of wild bee species in the European continent experiencing dying out has increased twofold in the last ten years, while the total of endangered butterfly species has close to doubled.
This critical situation for crucial pollinating insects was revealed by scientific studies for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, which found that at least 172 bee types out of over 1900 were at risk of extinction in the European continent.
The count of butterfly species at risk of extinction in the European continent has grown from 37 to 65 since the previous assessment, conducted 14 years ago. A single species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been declared extinct.
Apart from their aesthetic appeal and cultural value, pollinators like bees along with butterflies are lifelines for our well-being, our food supplies and our financial structures – supporting the produce, vegetables and seeds that feed us,” commented Grethel Aguilar. “The newest assessments of the European red list reveal significant difficulties, with risks mounting for butterfly types and crucial native bee types.”
The reasons of the quick recent decreases are the continuing destruction or damage of living environments caused by intensive agriculture and abandoned land, draining wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the use of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoid pesticides. The division of habitat friendly to pollinators greatly increases the danger of extinctions at local level.
Climate change is also demonstrated to be a significant danger: 52% of all endangered butterfly species in European nations are endangered by the climate emergency – about double the number as a decade ago.
Nearly ninety percent of plants that flower in European nations require animal pollination, as per the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Sadly, non-managed bee colonies are in drastic decline and cannot be easily replaced by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If native bees disappear, many wild plants might be at risk too – of which bloom-filled grasslands and attractive orchid varieties are just a handful of illustrations.”
15 varieties of bumblebees, which play a crucial role in fertilizing crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bee types, known for aiding tree pollination such as willows and red maples, are now classified as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species exclusive to the continent and the sole species of this genus group in Europe, is now evaluated as severely threatened – the research category closest to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterfly types that are exclusively located on high-altitude areas are particularly vulnerable to climate change as they must ascend higher as their living spaces become warmer but eventually exhaust available space. In southern Spain, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among above 40 percent of species endemic to Europe (exclusive to Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, varieties such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling are threatened by severe wildfires and drought.
In the meantime, in the Far North, global warming is leading to the timberline to shift northward by many meters each year, with bushes invading wetlands and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean Arctic deer can not anymore cross the ice to feed on Arctic meadows and keep them open. 8 butterfly varieties are facing extinction in this region, including the fritillary of Freyja and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The greatest living space for all these pollinating insects is flower-rich grassland and that is vanishing rapidly throughout the European continent because of all these factors,” remarked Martin Warren. “The positive thing is that so many individuals are aware now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the European Union nature restoration law, all member countries have to halt the decrease in pollinators by the year 2030, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are landowners who are interested. It is hoped they can obtain the motivations that will assist them on their way.”
According to Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of action for pollinating species which will not decrease food production – and may enhance it – such as farmers developing margins rich in flowers around their farmland.
EU commissioner for environment, characterized the conservation status of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “dire”.
“Prompt and unified steps is required to tackle this threat. In collaboration with member countries, the European Commission has put in place an Europe-wide monitoring system for pollinators based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will help to track our development. Now, we need to focus on application and partnership with participating nations to protect our pollinating insects,” she said.
The issuance of the assessments on bees and butterflies is subsequent to the initial EU-wide assessment of hoverflies, a further crucial pollinating insect category. Released in 2022, it showed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly types in Europe were facing extinction.
