The count of non-managed bee species in Europe facing dying out has over doubled in the last ten years, whereas the total of endangered butterfly types has nearly doubled.
This critical situation for essential pollinating species 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 1,928 were at risk of extinction in European nations.
The number of butterfly species threatened with extinction in the European continent has risen from 37 to sixty-five since the previous assessment, conducted over a decade past. One species, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
Apart from their visual charm and cultural value, pollinators like bees and butterfly species are lifelines for our health, our food systems and our economies – sustaining the fruits, veggies and seeds that feed us,” commented the IUCN director general. “The most recent European red list evaluations reveal significant difficulties, with dangers growing for butterfly types and crucial wild bee types.”
The causes of the quick recent decreases are the persistent harm or degradation of habitats caused by farming intensification and deserted farmland, wetland drainage, excessive grazing by animals, and the utilization of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid chemicals. The fragmentation of environments suitable for pollinators significantly raises the danger of local extinctions.
Climate change is also demonstrated to be a primary risk: Fifty-two percent of all endangered butterfly types in the European continent are endangered by the climate emergency – approximately twofold the amount as a decade ago.
Nearly 90% of blooming plants in European nations depend on insect pollination, as per the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Unfortunately, non-managed bee populations are in severe drop and are not easily replaceable by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If non-managed bees vanish, many wild plants might be at risk too – of which meadows rich in flowers and lovely orchid types are just a handful of illustrations.”
15 varieties of bumblebee species, which have an essential part in fertilizing legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bees, famous for fertilizing trees such as willow trees and red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type exclusive to the European continent and the only species of this genus group in Europe, is now evaluated as critically at risk – the scientific category most akin to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterfly types that are exclusively located on high-altitude areas are highly susceptible to global heating as they must ascend higher as their habitats become warmer but ultimately exhaust available space. In Spain’s southern region, the Nevada grayling and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among over forty percent of European endemics (only found in Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, types such as the critically endangered Karpathos grayling are imperilled by severe dry conditions and fires.
In the meantime, in the Far North, climate change is causing the forest boundary to shift northward by tens of metres each year, with bushes taking over wetlands and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean caribou can not anymore cross the ice to feed on Arctic meadows and keep them open. 8 butterfly varieties are threatened with extinction in this area, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the Arctic ringlet.
“The largest habitat for all these pollinating species is grassland rich in flowers and that is vanishing rapidly across the European continent because of all these elements,” remarked Martin Warren. “The encouraging aspect is that so many citizens care now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member countries have to halt the decrease in pollinating insects by 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are land holders who are engaged. Let’s hope they can receive the motivations that will support them on their way.”
According to Martin Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of steps for pollinating species which will not decrease crop yields – and might boost it – such as agricultural producers establishing margins rich in flowers around their cultivated areas.
EU commissioner for environment, described the protection status of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “dire”.
“Urgent and collective action is needed to tackle this threat. Along with member countries, the European Commission has established an EU-wide tracking 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 safeguard our pollinators,” she said.
The issuance of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies comes after the pioneering Europe-wide study on hoverflies, another essential group of pollinators. Published in 2022, it revealed that 37% of all hoverfly species in European nations were threatened with extinction.
