The total of non-managed bee species in the European continent confronting dying out has more than doubled during the previous ten-year period, while the number of endangered butterfly has almost doubled.
This critical situation for crucial pollinators was disclosed by scientific 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 facing extinction in European nations.
The number of butterfly types facing extinction in the European continent has risen from thirty-seven to over sixty since the last study, performed a decade and a half ago. A single species, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
“Beyond their beauty and cultural importance, pollinating species like bees and butterflies are essential supports for our well-being, our food chains and our economic systems – supporting the fruits, veggies and seeds that nourish us,” said the IUCN’s director general. “The newest assessments of the European red list reveal significant difficulties, with threats increasing for butterfly species and vital non-managed bee varieties.”
The reasons of the swift recent drops are the persistent destruction or damage of habitats caused by farming intensification and land abandonment, draining wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the utilization of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid pesticides. The fragmentation of habitat friendly to pollinators greatly increases the risk of local extinctions.
Global heating is also demonstrated to be a major threat: Over half of all endangered butterflies in the European continent are imperilled by the climate emergency – about twofold the amount as a previous decade.
As many as nine out of ten of flowering plants in Europe depend on animal pollination, as per the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Sadly, native bee populations are in sharp decrease and are not easily replaceable by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If non-managed bees disappear, many wild plants might be threatened too – of which meadows rich in flowers and attractive orchid varieties are just a couple of instances.”
15 varieties of bumblebees, which perform a vital function in aiding the pollination of peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bee types, recognized for fertilizing trees such as willows and red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type exclusive to the European continent and the sole species of this genus in the European continent, is now classified as severely threatened – the research category nearest to extinction in the wild.
Butterflies that are exclusively located on mountain tops are particularly vulnerable to global heating as they have to climb upward as their living spaces become warmer but in the end have no room left. In southern Spain, the Nevada grayling and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among above 40 percent of species endemic to Europe (exclusive to Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, types such as the critically endangered Karpathos grayling butterfly are imperilled by extreme drought and wildfires.
Meanwhile, in the Arctic region, climate change is resulting in the tree line to advance northwards by many meters each year, with underbrush encroaching on bog and tundra. Hotter climates also mean reindeer can no longer cross the ice to feed on northern grasslands and keep them open. Eight butterfly species are facing extinction in this area, including Freyja’s fritillary and the Arctic ringlet.
“The largest living space for all these pollinators is flower-rich grassland and that is disappearing very fast throughout Europe because of all these factors,” said a lead coordinator for the butterfly assessment. “The positive thing is that so many individuals care now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the European Union nature restoration law, all member states have to reverse the drop in pollinating species by 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are property owners who are involved. It is hoped they can obtain the motivations that will help them on their way.”
As stated by Martin Warren, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of measures for pollinating insects which won’t reduce agricultural output – and may enhance it – such as agricultural producers establishing margins rich in flowers around their cultivated areas.
EU commissioner for environment, described the preservation condition of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “critical”.
“Immediate and joint measures is necessary to address this risk. In collaboration with participating nations, the Commission of the European Union has implemented an EU-wide observation system for pollinators based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will assist in monitoring our progress. Now, we need to focus on execution and cooperation with member countries to protect our pollinators,” she said.
The release of the bee and butterfly assessments follows the first European-wide assessment of hoverflies, an additional crucial pollinator group. Issued in 2022, it showed that over one-third of all hoverfly types in Europe were threatened with extinction.
