The number of native bee species in Europe confronting disappearance has more than doubled in the last ten years, and the number of at-risk butterfly species has close to doubled.
This critical situation for essential pollinating insects was unveiled by scientific studies for the red list of threatened species, which found that at least over 170 bee types out of 1,928 were at risk of extinction in the European continent.
The count of butterfly species facing extinction in European nations has grown from 37 to sixty-five since the earlier research, performed 14 years ago. One type, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
Apart from their beauty and cultural value, pollinators like bees and butterfly species are essential supports for our health, our food systems and our financial structures – sustaining the fruits, veggies and seeds that nourish us,” commented the IUCN’s director general. “The most recent European red list evaluations reveal significant difficulties, with threats growing for butterfly species and essential native bee varieties.”
The causes of the rapid recent declines are the persistent destruction or damage of living environments caused by agricultural intensification and abandoned land, draining of wetlands, excessive grazing by animals, and the utilization of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoid pesticides. The fragmentation of habitat friendly to pollinators substantially boosts the danger of disappearances in specific areas.
Climate change is also demonstrated to be a major threat: 52% of all endangered butterflies in European nations are threatened by the climate emergency – approximately double the number as a previous decade.
Nearly 90% of flowering plants in European nations depend on pollination by animals, as per the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Sadly, native bee groups are in severe drop and are not easily replaceable by domesticated hives,” he said. “If non-managed bees vanish, many wild plants might be in danger as well – of which bloom-filled grasslands and attractive orchid varieties are just a few examples.”
15 varieties of bumblebee types, which have an essential part in fertilizing peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bees, known for fertilizing trees such as willows and red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee found only in the mainland and the single type of this genus in Europe, is now assessed as critically endangered – the scientific category most akin to extinction in the wild.
Butterfly types that are solely present on mountain tops are highly susceptible to global warming as they have to climb upward as their environments become hotter but eventually exhaust available space. In Spain’s southern region, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among above 40 percent of species endemic to Europe (solely present in Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean, types such as the severely threatened grayling of Karpathos are threatened by extreme dry conditions and fires.
Meanwhile, in the Arctic region, climate change is causing the tree line to shift northward by dozens of meters each year, with bushes invading marsh and tundra. Hotter climates also mean Arctic deer can no more cross the ice sheets to browse Arctic grasslands and prevent them from overgrowing. 8 butterfly varieties are at risk of extinction in this area, including the fritillary of Freyja and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The biggest environment for all these pollinating species is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is declining quickly across European nations because of all these factors,” remarked Martin Warren. “The encouraging aspect is that so many citizens are aware now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all participating nations have to turn around the drop in pollinating insects by the year 2030, and they are going to have to begin taking action. There are property owners who are interested. It is hoped they can get the motivations that will assist them on their way.”
As stated by Warren, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of steps for pollinating insects which will not decrease crop yields – and could improve it – such as farmers developing bloom-filled edges around their farmland.
the EU’s environment commissioner, characterized the conservation status of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “critical”.
“Urgent and collective action is needed to confront this threat. In collaboration with participating nations, the Commission of the European Union has put in place an EU-wide tracking system for pollinating species based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will assist in monitoring our development. Now, we need to prioritize implementation and collaboration with participating nations to preserve our pollinators,” she said.
The issuance of the bee and butterfly assessments comes after the first EU-wide study on hoverflies, an additional crucial pollinating insect category. Released in 2022, it showed that over one-third of all hoverfly varieties in Europe were facing extinction.
