The count of native bee varieties in the European continent confronting extinction has more than doubled over the past decade, while the number of at-risk butterfly species has almost doubled.
This dire scenario for crucial pollinating species was unveiled by scientific assessments for the IUCN red list, which found that at least one hundred seventy-two bee species out of over 1900 were threatened with extinction in the European continent.
The total of butterfly types facing extinction in European nations has increased from over thirty-five to sixty-five since the last study, conducted 14 years ago. One species, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
In addition to their aesthetic appeal and cultural value, pollinating insects like bees along with butterflies are crucial elements for our health, our food systems and our financial structures – sustaining the fruits, vegetables and seeds that sustain us,” commented the IUCN director general. “The latest European red list evaluations reveal significant difficulties, with threats growing for butterfly types and crucial native bee types.”
The reasons of the quick recent decreases are the persistent harm or degradation of living environments caused by agricultural intensification and abandoned land, draining of wetlands, excessive grazing by animals, and the use of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoid pesticides. The fragmentation of pollinator-friendly habitat significantly raises the danger of extinctions at local level.
Climate change is also demonstrated to be a primary risk: Over half of all endangered butterfly types in European nations are threatened by the climate crisis – roughly double the number as a ten years ago.
As many as nine out of ten of flowering plants in European nations require animal pollination, as per the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Regrettably, native bee populations are in severe drop and cannot readily be substituted by managed colonies,” he said. “If wild bees disappear, many native plants might be in danger as well – of which flower-rich meadows and lovely orchid types are just a few examples.”
15 varieties of bumblebees, which have an essential part in aiding the pollination of legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bee species, recognized for aiding tree pollination such as willows along with red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species unique to the European continent and the only species of this biological genus in Europe, is now assessed as critically at risk – the scientific category nearest to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterflies that are only found on mountain peaks are particularly vulnerable to global heating as they need to move uphill as their environments become more heated but ultimately exhaust available space. In Spain’s southern region, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among over forty percent of types unique to Europe (only found in Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean, types such as the critically endangered grayling of Karpathos are endangered by extreme drought and wildfires.
At the same time, in the Arctic region, climate change is resulting in the forest boundary to advance northwards by tens of metres each year, with scrub encroaching on marsh and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean Arctic deer can no longer cross the ice sheets to feed on Arctic grasslands and maintain them clear. 8 butterfly varieties are at risk of extinction in this region, including the fritillary of Freyja and the Arctic ringlet.
“The largest living space for all these pollinators is flower-rich grassland and that is disappearing very fast in Europe because of all these factors,” said one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The good news is that so many people care now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all member states have to turn around the drop in pollinating species by the year 2030, and they are going to have to begin taking action. There are property owners who are involved. It is hoped they can get the encouragements that will help them on their way.”
As stated by Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of steps for pollinators which will not decrease food production – and might boost it – such as farmers establishing flower-rich margins around their cultivated areas.
the EU’s environment commissioner, portrayed the conservation status of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “critical”.
“Urgent and collective action is needed to confront this danger. Along with member countries, the EU Commission has put in place an European Union-wide observation system for pollinating species based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will help to track our advancement. Now, we need to focus on implementation and partnership with member countries to protect our pollinating species,” she said.
The issuance of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies comes after the initial European-wide evaluation of hoverflies, a further vital pollinating insect category. Issued in 2022, it disclosed that over one-third of all hoverfly varieties in Europe were threatened with extinction.
