The count of non-managed bee types in the European continent confronting disappearance has over doubled in the last ten years, and the count of threatened butterfly has almost doubled.
This critical situation for crucial pollinating insects was revealed by scientific assessments for the IUCN red list, which established that at least over 170 bee species out of 1,928 were at risk of extinction in Europe.
The count of butterfly types threatened with extinction in Europe has risen from thirty-seven to sixty-five since the previous assessment, performed 14 years ago. One type, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been declared extinct.
Apart from their visual charm and cultural importance, pollinators like bees and butterfly species are lifelines for our well-being, our food supplies and our financial structures – sustaining the fruits, vegetables and seeds that sustain us,” commented the IUCN’s director general. “The most recent European red list assessments reveal major obstacles, with threats mounting for butterflies and essential native bee varieties.”
The reasons of the rapid recent declines are the persistent destruction or damage of natural habitats caused by intensive agriculture and land abandonment, draining wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoids. The fragmentation of habitat friendly to pollinators significantly raises the danger of extinctions at local level.
Climate change is also shown to be a primary risk: Fifty-two percent of all at-risk butterfly species in European nations are imperilled by the climate change crisis – roughly twofold the amount as a ten years ago.
Up to nine out of ten of plants that flower in the European continent rely on pollination by animals, as per the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Regrettably, non-managed bee groups are in sharp decrease and cannot be easily replaced by managed colonies,” he said. “If wild bees die out, many wild plants might be threatened too – of which flower-rich meadows and attractive orchid varieties are just a few examples.”
Fifteen species of bumblebees, which play a crucial role in aiding the pollination of peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bee species, recognized for aiding tree pollination such as willow trees and red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee unique to the European continent and the single type of this biological genus in European nations, is now classified as critically endangered – the research category nearest to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterfly species that are solely present on mountain peaks are particularly vulnerable to global heating as they must ascend higher as their living spaces become more heated but in the end have no room left. In the southern part of Spain, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among more than 40% of European endemics (solely present in Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, varieties such as the critically endangered Karpathos grayling butterfly are endangered by severe drought and wildfires.
Meanwhile, in the Arctic region, global warming is causing the forest boundary to shift northward by many meters each year, with scrub encroaching on bog and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean Arctic deer can no longer cross the ice sheets to browse Arctic grasslands and maintain them clear. Eight types of butterflies are threatened with extinction in this region, including the fritillary of Freyja and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The largest living space for all these pollinators is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is vanishing rapidly in the European continent because of all these elements,” said Martin Warren. “The encouraging aspect is that so many people are concerned now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all member countries have to turn around the decline in pollinating species by 2030, and they are going to have to begin taking action. There are land holders who are engaged. We hope they can receive the incentives that will assist them on their way.”
As stated by Warren, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of measures for pollinators which will not decrease agricultural output – and could improve it – such as growers developing flower-rich margins around their farmland.
EU commissioner for environment, characterized the protection status of non-managed bees, butterfly species and other pollinating insects as “severe”.
“Prompt and unified steps is necessary to address this danger. In collaboration with member states, the EU Commission has established an EU-wide observation system for pollinators based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will assist in monitoring our advancement. Now, we need to concentrate on execution and partnership with participating nations to safeguard our pollinating insects,” she said.
The issuance of the assessments on bees and butterflies comes after the first EU-wide assessment of hoverflies, an additional essential pollinating insect category. Issued in 2022, it showed that over one-third of all hoverfly varieties in European nations were threatened with extinction.
