The count of native bee varieties in the European continent confronting dying out has more than doubled over the past decade, while the total of at-risk butterfly species has close to doubled.
This dire scenario for crucial pollinating insects was disclosed by scientific assessments for the IUCN red list, which found that at least one hundred seventy-two bee types out of over 1900 were threatened with extinction in European nations.
The count of butterflies threatened with extinction in European nations has grown from thirty-seven to over sixty since the previous assessment, conducted a decade and a half ago. A single species, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
“Beyond their beauty and cultural importance, pollinators like bees and butterfly species are essential supports for our physical condition, our food systems and our financial structures – maintaining the fruits, veggies and seeds that sustain us,” said the IUCN director general. “The newest European red list assessments reveal significant difficulties, with risks growing for butterflies and vital non-managed bee varieties.”
The reasons of the swift recent drops are the ongoing damage or destruction of habitats caused by intensive agriculture and deserted farmland, draining wetlands, excessive grazing by animals, and the application of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoids. The breaking up of environments suitable for pollinators greatly increases the risk of extinctions at local level.
Climate change is also shown to be a major threat: Over half of all threatened butterflies in the European continent are imperilled by the climate change crisis – approximately twice as many as a ten years ago.
As many as 90% of flowering plants in European nations rely on pollination by animals, according to the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Unfortunately, wild bee populations are in drastic decline and are not easily replaceable by managed colonies,” he said. “If native bees die out, many wild plants might be threatened too – of which flower-rich meadows and lovely orchid types are just a few examples.”
Fifteen types of bumblebee types, which perform a vital function in fertilizing crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bee species, famous for fertilizing trees such as willow trees and red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee found only in the continent and the sole species of this genus group in Europe, is now classified as severely threatened – the research category closest to disappearance in the wild.
Butterfly types that are only found on high-altitude areas are highly susceptible to global warming as they have to climb upward as their environments become warmer but in the end exhaust available space. In southern Spain, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among over forty percent of types unique to Europe (only found in Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, species such as the severely threatened Karpathos grayling butterfly are endangered by intense wildfires and drought.
At the same time, in the Far North, global warming is resulting in the tree line to shift northward by tens of metres each year, with underbrush invading wetlands and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean Arctic deer can not anymore cross the ice to graze Arctic grasslands and keep them open. Eight types of butterflies are threatened with extinction in this region, including Freyja’s fritillary and the Arctic ringlet.
“The biggest living space for all these pollinating species is grassland rich in flowers and that is disappearing very fast across the European continent because of all these elements,” said Martin Warren. “The positive thing is that so many individuals are concerned now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all member states have to turn around the decrease in pollinating insects by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are land holders who are involved. Let’s hope they can obtain the incentives that will support them on their way.”
As per Martin Warren, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of steps for pollinating species which will not lower agricultural output – and may enhance it – such as farmers creating margins rich in flowers around their fields.
Jessika Roswall, characterized the preservation condition of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “critical”.
“Prompt and unified steps is required to confront this danger. Along with member countries, the EU Commission has established an Europe-wide tracking system for pollinating species based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will assist in monitoring our advancement. Now, we need to focus on implementation and collaboration with member countries to safeguard our pollinating insects,” she said.
The release of the assessments on bees and butterflies is subsequent to the first EU-wide assessment of hoverflies, a further vital pollinating insect category. Issued in 2022, it disclosed that over one-third of all hoverfly types in Europe were threatened with extinction.
