The number of non-managed bee species in Europe confronting extinction has over doubled over the past decade, and the count of endangered butterfly has nearly doubled.
This pressing issue for essential pollinating insects was revealed by research studies for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, which established that at least one hundred seventy-two bee species out of over 1900 were facing extinction in Europe.
The count of butterfly types at risk of extinction in Europe has risen from thirty-seven to 65 since the last study, performed 14 years ago. A single species, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
“Beyond their beauty and cultural value, pollinators like bees along with butterflies are essential supports for our physical condition, our food supplies and our economies – maintaining the fruits, veggies and seeds that sustain us,” said the IUCN’s director general. “The most recent European red list evaluations reveal major obstacles, with threats growing for butterfly species and vital wild bee species.”
The reasons of the swift recent drops are the continuing destruction or damage of natural habitats caused by farming intensification and land abandonment, wetland drainage, overgrazing by livestock, and the utilization of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid pesticides. The fragmentation of environments suitable for pollinators substantially boosts the risk of disappearances in specific areas.
Climate change is also revealed to be a major threat: Fifty-two percent of all threatened butterfly types in Europe are endangered by the climate emergency – approximately twofold the amount as a previous decade.
Nearly nine out of ten of plants that flower in the European continent rely on insect pollination, as per the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Unfortunately, non-managed bee groups are in sharp decrease and cannot be easily replaced by managed colonies,” he said. “If native bees die out, many wild plants might be in danger as well – of which flower-rich meadows and lovely orchid types are just a couple of instances.”
Fifteen species of bumblebee types, which play a crucial role in fertilizing legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bees, famous for fertilizing trees such as willow trees and red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species found only in the mainland and the single type of this genus group in the European continent, is now classified as critically endangered – the scientific category most akin to disappearance in the wild.
Butterfly species that are only found on mountain peaks are particularly vulnerable to global warming as they must ascend higher as their habitats become more heated but eventually run out of space. In southern Spain, the Nevada grayling and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among more than 40% of European endemics (exclusive to Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, varieties such as the critically endangered grayling of Karpathos are threatened by severe wildfires and drought.
In the meantime, in the Arctic region, climate change is causing the timberline to shift northward by many meters each year, with bushes invading marsh and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean caribou can no more cross the ice sheets to feed on northern grasslands and prevent them from overgrowing. Eight butterfly species are threatened with extinction in this region, including the fritillary of Freyja and the Arctic ringlet.
“The greatest living space for all these pollinating insects is grassland rich in flowers and that is declining quickly in Europe because of all these elements,” stated Martin Warren. “The encouraging aspect is that so many citizens are concerned now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all participating nations have to reverse the decline in pollinating species by 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are land holders who are interested. We hope they can receive the motivations that will help them on their way.”
As stated by Martin Warren, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of steps for pollinating insects which won’t reduce agricultural output – and may enhance it – such as farmers developing bloom-filled edges around their cultivated areas.
the EU’s environment commissioner, portrayed the protection status of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “dire”.
“Immediate and joint measures is necessary to confront this danger. Together with member countries, the Commission of the European Union has established an EU-wide tracking system for pollinating insects based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will assist in monitoring our progress. Now, we need to prioritize application and cooperation with participating nations to protect our pollinating insects,” she said.
The issuance of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies comes after the first European-wide assessment of hoverflies, an additional essential pollinator group. Released in 2022, it showed that 37% of all hoverfly types in the European continent were facing extinction.
