The count of native bee types in European nations experiencing disappearance has more than doubled over the past decade, and the number of endangered butterfly species has almost doubled.
This dire scenario for crucial pollinating insects was unveiled by research studies for the IUCN red list, which determined that at least over 170 bee types out of 1,928 were threatened with extinction in European nations.
The number of butterflies threatened with extinction in Europe has grown from thirty-seven to over sixty since the earlier research, performed a decade and a half ago. One species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
“Beyond their visual charm and cultural significance, pollinators like bees and butterfly species are crucial elements for our health, our food chains and our economic systems – maintaining the fruits, vegetables and seeds that sustain us,” said Grethel Aguilar. “The newest European red list evaluations reveal significant difficulties, with risks growing for butterfly species and essential native bee types.”
The reasons of the swift recent drops are the continuing harm or degradation of natural habitats caused by intensive agriculture and abandoned land, draining of wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the utilization of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoid chemicals. The breaking up of pollinator-friendly habitat significantly raises the threat of local extinctions.
Global warming is also demonstrated to be a significant danger: Over half of all endangered butterfly types in Europe are threatened by the climate change crisis – roughly twofold the amount as a decade ago.
As many as ninety percent of flowering plants in the European continent rely on pollination by animals, as per the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Sadly, native bee groups are in drastic decline and cannot readily be substituted by managed colonies,” he said. “If non-managed bees die out, many native plants might be threatened too – of which flower-rich meadows and attractive orchid varieties are just a few examples.”
Fifteen species of bumblebee types, which have an essential part in aiding the pollination of crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bee species, recognized for fertilizing trees such as willows along with red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type unique to the continent and the sole species of this genus in the European continent, is now classified as critically at risk – the scientific classification most akin to extinction in the wild.
Butterfly species that are exclusively located on mountain peaks are highly susceptible to global warming as they need to move uphill as their living spaces become hotter but in the end exhaust available space. In the southern part of Spain, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among more than 40% of species endemic to Europe (only found in Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, species such as the severely threatened Karpathos grayling butterfly are threatened by intense dry conditions and fires.
At the same time, in the Arctic region, global heating is leading to the timberline to advance northwards by dozens of meters each year, with scrub invading marsh and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean reindeer can no more cross the ice sheets to browse Arctic meadows and keep them open. Eight types of butterflies are at risk of extinction in this region, including Freyja’s fritillary and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The biggest living space for all these pollinating insects is flower-rich grassland and that is disappearing very fast throughout Europe because of all these reasons,” remarked Martin Warren. “The positive thing is that so many individuals are aware now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all member states have to reverse the decrease 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 obtain 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 lower crop yields – and may enhance it – such as farmers creating margins rich in flowers around their fields.
EU commissioner for environment, described the conservation status of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “critical”.
“Urgent and collective action is needed to tackle this risk. In collaboration with member countries, the Commission of the European Union has implemented an EU-wide tracking system for pollinating insects based on the EU nature restoration law, which will help to track our advancement. Now, we need to prioritize application and partnership with member countries to safeguard our pollinators,” she said.
The publication of the bee and butterfly assessments follows the pioneering Europe-wide evaluation of hoverflies, a further crucial pollinator group. Released in 2022, it disclosed that 37% of all hoverfly species in the European continent were facing extinction.
