The total of non-managed bee types in the European continent facing extinction has more than doubled over the past decade, whereas the number of threatened butterfly species has nearly doubled.
This dire scenario for crucial pollinating species was disclosed by scientific assessments for the IUCN red list, which found that at least one hundred seventy-two bee species out of 1,928 were at risk of extinction in European nations.
The count of butterfly species threatened with extinction in the European continent has grown from thirty-seven to over sixty since the last study, conducted 14 years ago. A single species, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
In addition to their beauty and cultural significance, pollinating insects like bees and butterflies are lifelines for our physical condition, our food chains and our financial structures – maintaining the produce, vegetables and seeds that sustain us,” stated the IUCN director general. “The latest European red list assessments reveal significant difficulties, with threats growing for butterflies and vital non-managed bee types.”
The causes of the quick recent decreases are the persistent destruction or damage of living environments caused by agricultural intensification and abandoned land, draining of wetlands, excessive grazing by animals, and the application of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoids. The fragmentation of habitat friendly to pollinators greatly increases the threat of extinctions at local level.
Global warming is also demonstrated to be a primary risk: Fifty-two percent of all at-risk butterflies in Europe are threatened by the climate change crisis – roughly twofold the amount as a decade ago.
Up to nine out of ten of blooming plants in Europe rely on animal pollination, according to the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Sadly, native bee colonies are in severe drop and cannot be easily replaced by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If non-managed bees die out, many wild plants might be at risk too – of which bloom-filled grasslands and lovely orchid types are just a handful of illustrations.”
15 varieties of bumblebee species, which perform a vital function in pollinating crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bee species, known for fertilizing trees such as willow trees and red maples, are now classified as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type unique to the mainland and the sole species of this biological genus in the European continent, is now assessed as critically endangered – the scientific classification nearest to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterfly types that are exclusively located on mountain tops are particularly vulnerable to global heating as they have to climb upward as their living spaces become more heated but ultimately exhaust available space. In the southern part of Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among more than 40% of European endemics (exclusive to Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean, types such as the critically endangered grayling of Karpathos are imperilled by intense drought and wildfires.
In the meantime, in the Arctic Circle, global warming is resulting in the forest boundary to advance northwards by many meters each year, with scrub taking over marsh and tundra. Hotter climates also mean caribou can no more cross the ice sheets to browse Arctic grasslands and prevent them from overgrowing. 8 butterfly varieties are at risk of extinction in this zone, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the Arctic ringlet.
“The greatest 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,” said Martin Warren. “The positive thing is that so many citizens are concerned now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all participating nations have to turn around the decline in pollinating species by 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are land holders who are interested. It is hoped they can receive the motivations that will assist them on their way.”
As per the coordinator, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of measures for pollinating insects which won’t reduce crop yields – and might boost it – such as growers creating flower-rich margins around their fields.
Jessika Roswall, portrayed the preservation condition of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “severe”.
“Urgent and collective action is necessary to confront this risk. Together with member countries, the European Commission has established an Europe-wide observation system for pollinators based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will assist in monitoring our advancement. Now, we need to focus on execution and collaboration with participating nations to protect our pollinators,” she said.
The release of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies follows the first Europe-wide assessment of hoverflies, a further crucial group of pollinators. Released in 2022, it showed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly types in Europe were at risk of extinction.
