The number of non-managed bee species in European nations experiencing disappearance has increased twofold in the last ten years, while the count of endangered butterfly has close to doubled.
This pressing issue for vital pollinators was unveiled by scientific assessments for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, which determined that at least one hundred seventy-two bee types out of 1,928 were facing extinction in Europe.
The number of butterflies threatened with extinction in the European continent has increased from thirty-seven to 65 since the last study, conducted 14 years ago. One type, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
In addition to their visual charm and cultural significance, pollinating insects like bees and butterflies are lifelines for our well-being, our food systems and our economies – supporting the fruits, veggies and seeds that nourish us,” stated the IUCN’s director general. “The latest European red list assessments reveal significant difficulties, with threats increasing for butterfly species and vital native bee species.”
The reasons of the quick recent decreases are the continuing destruction or damage of natural habitats caused by agricultural intensification and abandoned land, draining wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid chemicals. The fragmentation of pollinator-friendly habitat significantly raises the threat of extinctions at local level.
Global heating is also shown to be a significant danger: Over half of all threatened butterfly types in European nations are imperilled by the climate emergency – approximately twofold the amount as a ten years ago.
Nearly 90% of blooming plants in the European continent rely on animal pollination, as per the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Regrettably, non-managed bee colonies are in severe drop and cannot readily be substituted by domesticated hives,” he said. “If native bees vanish, many native plants might be in danger as well – of which meadows rich in flowers and beautiful orchid species are just a couple of instances.”
Fifteen types of bumblebees, which perform a vital function in fertilizing peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bees, famous for aiding tree pollination such as willows and red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species found only in the continent and the sole species of this genus in Europe, is now assessed as critically at risk – the scientific classification closest to extinction in the wild.
Butterfly types that are exclusively located on mountain peaks are especially at risk to climate change as they must ascend higher as their living spaces become warmer but eventually exhaust available space. In the southern part of Spain, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among above 40 percent of types unique to Europe (only found in Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, species such as the severely threatened grayling of Karpathos are endangered by severe drought and wildfires.
At the same time, in the Far North, global heating is leading to the tree line to move north by tens of metres each year, with underbrush encroaching on bog and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean reindeer can no longer cross the frozen water to browse Arctic grasslands and maintain them clear. 8 butterfly varieties are facing extinction in this area, including Freyja’s fritillary and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The largest living space for all these pollinating insects is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is declining quickly throughout the European continent because of all these reasons,” remarked one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The good news is that so many people are concerned now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all member states have to halt the decrease in pollinators by the year 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are landowners who are involved. Let’s hope they can receive the encouragements that will support them on their way.”
As per the coordinator, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of measures for pollinating species which won’t reduce agricultural output – and might boost it – such as farmers creating margins rich in flowers around their fields.
the EU’s environment commissioner, portrayed the protection status of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “critical”.
“Urgent and collective action is required to confront this danger. Together with member countries, the EU Commission has implemented an EU-wide observation system for pollinating insects based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will assist in monitoring our advancement. Now, we need to focus on application and cooperation with member states to protect our pollinators,” she said.
The issuance of the bee and butterfly assessments follows the first European-wide evaluation of hoverflies, a further essential pollinating insect category. Issued in 2022, it revealed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly varieties in the European continent were facing extinction.
