The total of native bee species in Europe confronting disappearance has increased twofold over the past decade, while the number of threatened butterfly has close to doubled.
This critical situation for crucial pollinators was unveiled by scientific studies for the IUCN red list, which found that at least 172 bee varieties out of nearly two thousand were at risk of extinction in Europe.
The number of butterfly species facing extinction in European nations has increased from 37 to over sixty since the last study, conducted 14 years ago. One type, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
“Beyond their aesthetic appeal and cultural importance, pollinating insects like bees and butterflies are crucial elements for our well-being, our food chains and our financial structures – maintaining the produce, vegetables and seeds that sustain us,” said the IUCN’s director general. “The most recent assessments of the European red list reveal serious challenges, with risks growing for butterflies and crucial non-managed bee species.”
The causes of the quick recent decreases are the continuing damage or destruction of living environments caused by intensive agriculture and deserted farmland, draining of wetlands, excessive grazing by animals, and the utilization of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoids. The breaking up of habitat friendly to pollinators significantly raises the threat of extinctions at local level.
Climate change is also demonstrated to be a major threat: Over half of all at-risk butterflies in the European continent are imperilled by the climate crisis – roughly twice as many as a decade ago.
As many as ninety percent of flowering plants in the European continent rely on pollination by animals, as per the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Sadly, wild bee colonies are in sharp decrease and are not easily replaceable by domesticated hives,” he said. “If wild bees disappear, many native plants might be at risk too – of which meadows rich in flowers and beautiful orchid species are just a few examples.”
Fifteen species of bumblebees, which have an essential part in aiding the pollination of legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bee species, known for aiding tree pollination such as willows and red maples, are now classified as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type exclusive to the continent and the only species of this genus group in the European continent, is now classified as severely threatened – the scientific classification closest to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterfly species that are exclusively located on high-altitude areas are especially at risk to global heating as they have to climb upward as their environments become hotter but eventually have no room left. In southern Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among over forty percent of species endemic to Europe (exclusive to Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, species such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling are endangered by intense drought and wildfires.
Meanwhile, in the Arctic region, global heating is resulting in the timberline to advance northwards by tens of metres each year, with bushes taking over wetlands and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean caribou can no more cross the ice sheets to feed on Arctic meadows and keep them open. Eight types of butterflies are facing extinction in this area, including Freyja’s fritillary and the Arctic ringlet.
“The greatest habitat for all these pollinating species is grassland rich in flowers and that is vanishing rapidly in European nations because of all these factors,” stated one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The encouraging aspect is that so many people are concerned now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all member states have to halt the drop in pollinating insects by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to begin taking action. There are land holders who are interested. We hope they can get the encouragements that will help them on their way.”
As per Martin Warren, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of steps for pollinating insects which will not lower agricultural output – and might boost it – such as farmers establishing bloom-filled edges around their cultivated areas.
Jessika Roswall, described the protection status of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “critical”.
“Immediate and joint measures is required to confront this risk. Along with member states, the EU Commission has put in place an Europe-wide monitoring system for pollinating insects based on the EU nature restoration law, which will help to track our development. Now, we need to focus on implementation and cooperation with member states to protect our pollinators,” she said.
The issuance of the assessments on bees and butterflies comes after the initial EU-wide evaluation of hoverflies, a further vital pollinator group. Published in 2022, it showed that 37% of all hoverfly varieties in Europe were threatened with extinction.
