The number of native bee species in Europe experiencing disappearance has over doubled in the last ten years, while the count of threatened butterfly species has almost doubled.
This pressing issue for crucial pollinators was revealed by scientific assessments 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 threatened with extinction in the European continent.
The total of butterflies at risk of extinction in Europe has grown from over thirty-five to 65 since the previous assessment, carried out a decade and a half ago. One type, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
In addition to their aesthetic appeal and cultural value, pollinating insects like bees and butterfly species are essential supports for our well-being, our food chains and our economic systems – sustaining the fruits, veggies and seeds that sustain us,” said Grethel Aguilar. “The most recent assessments of the European red list reveal significant difficulties, with threats increasing for butterfly species and vital native bee varieties.”
The reasons of the rapid recent declines are the persistent destruction or damage of living environments caused by farming intensification and land abandonment, draining wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the utilization of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoid chemicals. The fragmentation of habitat friendly to pollinators substantially boosts the threat of local extinctions.
Global warming is also revealed to be a significant danger: 52% of all endangered butterfly species in Europe are imperilled by the climate change crisis – about twofold the amount as a previous decade.
Up to 90% of blooming plants in European nations require animal pollination, as stated by the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Sadly, non-managed bee populations are in sharp decrease and are not easily replaceable by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If native bees disappear, many non-cultivated plants might be at risk too – of which meadows rich in flowers and attractive orchid varieties are just a handful of illustrations.”
Fifteen species of bumblebee types, which play a crucial role in fertilizing crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bee species, famous 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 group in the European continent, is now classified as critically endangered – the scientific category nearest to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterfly types that are exclusively located on mountain tops are particularly vulnerable to global warming as they must ascend higher as their living spaces become warmer but in the end run out of space. In Spain’s southern region, the Nevada grayling and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among over forty percent of species endemic to Europe (solely present in Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, types such as the severely threatened Karpathos grayling are threatened by severe dry conditions and fires.
At the same time, in the Far North, climate change is resulting in the timberline to shift northward by dozens of meters each year, with underbrush taking over marsh and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean reindeer can no more cross the ice to graze Arctic meadows and keep them open. Eight types of butterflies are at risk of extinction in this region, including the fritillary of Freyja and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The largest environment for all these pollinating insects is flower-rich grassland and that is declining quickly across Europe because of all these elements,” remarked Martin Warren. “The encouraging aspect is that so many individuals care now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member states have to halt the drop in pollinating species by the year 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are land holders who are interested. Let’s hope they can get the incentives that will assist them on their way.”
According to Martin Warren, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of measures for pollinating species which will not decrease agricultural output – and could improve it – such as agricultural producers developing flower-rich margins 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 necessary to confront this threat. In collaboration with member states, the EU Commission has implemented an European Union-wide observation system for pollinating species based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will assist in monitoring our progress. Now, we need to concentrate on execution and partnership with member countries to protect our pollinating insects,” she said.
The publication of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies follows the initial Europe-wide study on hoverflies, an additional essential pollinating insect category. Released in 2022, it disclosed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly varieties in European nations were threatened with extinction.
