The count of wild bee varieties in Europe facing disappearance has over doubled over the past decade, while the count of at-risk butterfly types has almost doubled.
This dire scenario for crucial pollinating insects was revealed by scientific assessments for the IUCN red list, which established that at least over 170 bee species out of 1,928 were at risk of extinction in Europe.
The count of butterfly species facing extinction in European nations has risen from thirty-seven to over sixty since the last study, conducted 14 years ago. One species, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been declared extinct.
In addition to their visual charm and cultural value, pollinators like bees and butterfly species are lifelines for our well-being, our food systems and our economies – sustaining the fruits, veggies and seeds that nourish us,” stated Grethel Aguilar. “The most recent assessments of the European red list reveal serious challenges, with risks growing for butterfly types and essential wild bee types.”
The causes of the swift recent drops are the ongoing damage or destruction of habitats caused by farming intensification and land abandonment, draining wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the use of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoid pesticides. The fragmentation of habitat friendly to pollinators substantially boosts the threat of disappearances in specific areas.
Global warming is also revealed to be a primary risk: Fifty-two percent of all threatened butterflies in European nations are imperilled by the climate emergency – roughly twofold the amount as a previous decade.
Nearly ninety percent of flowering plants in European nations rely on animal pollination, as per Dr Denis Michez. “Unfortunately, non-managed bee colonies are in drastic decline and are not easily replaceable by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If wild bees die out, many native plants might be at risk too – of which flower-rich meadows and beautiful orchid species are just a couple of instances.”
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 types, recognized for pollinating trees such as willows and red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type exclusive to the mainland and the only species of this genus in the European continent, is now classified as critically endangered – the research category most akin to extinction in the wild.
Butterfly species that are solely present on mountain peaks are particularly vulnerable to global heating as they have to climb upward as their living spaces become hotter but in the end have no room left. In southern Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among above 40 percent of types unique to Europe (solely present in Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, varieties such as the highly at-risk grayling of Karpathos are imperilled by extreme drought and wildfires.
At the same time, in the Far North, global warming is causing the tree line to advance northwards by many meters each year, with underbrush encroaching on bog and tundra. Hotter climates also mean reindeer can not anymore cross the frozen water to browse Arctic grasslands and maintain them clear. Eight butterfly species are facing extinction in this region, including Freyja’s fritillary and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“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 factors,” remarked one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The encouraging aspect is that so many individuals are concerned now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member countries have to halt the drop in pollinating insects by the year 2030, and they are going to have to begin taking action. There are landowners who are engaged. Let’s hope they can get the encouragements that will assist them on their way.”
As per Warren, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of action for pollinators which will not lower food production – and could improve it – such as farmers developing margins rich in flowers around their fields.
EU commissioner for environment, characterized the protection status of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “severe”.
“Immediate and joint measures is required to confront this threat. In collaboration with member states, the European Commission has put in place an Europe-wide monitoring system for pollinators based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will aid in following our progress. Now, we need to focus on execution and cooperation with participating nations to preserve our pollinating species,” she said.
The publication of the bee and butterfly assessments comes after the initial Europe-wide assessment of hoverflies, another crucial pollinator group. Released in twenty-twenty-two, it disclosed that 37% of all hoverfly types in the European continent were threatened with extinction.
