The number of native bee species in Europe experiencing disappearance has over doubled over the past decade, and the number of endangered butterfly has almost doubled.
This critical situation for essential pollinating species was unveiled by research studies for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, which found that at least one hundred seventy-two bee species out of over 1900 were threatened with extinction in European nations.
The number of butterfly types threatened with extinction in Europe has grown from over thirty-five to 65 since the previous assessment, conducted 14 years ago. One type, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been declared extinct.
Apart from their beauty and cultural significance, pollinators like bees and butterflies are essential supports for our physical condition, our food systems and our financial structures – maintaining the fruits, vegetables and seeds that nourish us,” said Grethel Aguilar. “The most recent European red list assessments reveal significant difficulties, with dangers growing for butterfly species and essential wild bee types.”
The reasons of the quick recent decreases are the persistent harm or degradation of natural habitats caused by agricultural intensification and deserted farmland, draining wetlands, excessive grazing by animals, and the utilization of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid chemicals. The division of habitat friendly to pollinators substantially boosts the threat of local extinctions.
Climate change is also shown to be a significant danger: Fifty-two percent of all at-risk butterflies in Europe are threatened by the climate emergency – roughly twofold the amount as a ten years ago.
As many as ninety percent of plants that flower in the European continent require animal pollination, as stated by the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Sadly, wild bee populations are in drastic decline and are not easily replaceable by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If non-managed bees die out, many native plants might be threatened too – of which bloom-filled grasslands and beautiful orchid species are just a couple of instances.”
Fifteen species of bumblebee species, which have an essential part in aiding the pollination of crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bees, famous for pollinating trees such as willow trees and red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type unique to the continent and the single type of this genus in the European continent, is now evaluated as severely threatened – the scientific classification most akin to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterfly species that are solely present on mountain peaks are highly susceptible to global heating as they must ascend higher as their environments become more heated but in the end run out of space. In the southern part of Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among above 40 percent of European endemics (only found in Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, species such as the critically endangered Karpathos grayling are imperilled by severe dry conditions and fires.
Meanwhile, in the Arctic region, climate change is leading to the timberline to shift northward by tens of metres each year, with bushes taking over wetlands and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean Arctic deer can not anymore cross the frozen water to feed on northern grasslands and prevent them from overgrowing. Eight types of butterflies are at risk of extinction in this region, including Freyja’s fritillary and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The greatest living space for all these pollinating species is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is declining quickly in Europe because of all these factors,” remarked a lead coordinator for the butterfly assessment. “The encouraging aspect is that so many individuals are aware now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member countries have to turn around the decrease in pollinating species by 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are property owners who are interested. Let’s hope they can get the incentives that will support them on their way.”
As stated by Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of action for pollinating species which will not lower food production – and might boost it – such as growers establishing margins rich in flowers around their fields.
the EU’s environment commissioner, described the conservation status of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “severe”.
“Urgent and collective action is required to confront this danger. In collaboration with member countries, the EU Commission has implemented an European Union-wide tracking system for pollinating insects based on the EU nature restoration law, which will assist in monitoring our development. Now, we need to focus on application and cooperation with member countries to safeguard our pollinating species,” she said.
The publication of the bee and butterfly assessments is subsequent to the initial EU-wide study on hoverflies, an additional vital pollinating insect category. Published in 2022, it showed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly varieties in the European continent were threatened with extinction.
