The count of wild bee species in Europe confronting dying out has more than doubled in the last ten years, whereas the count of endangered butterfly has nearly doubled.
This critical situation for crucial pollinating insects was revealed by research studies for the IUCN red list, which found that at least 172 bee varieties out of over 1900 were threatened with extinction in the European continent.
The count of butterfly species threatened with extinction in Europe has grown from thirty-seven to 65 since the earlier research, conducted a decade and a half ago. A single species, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
In addition to their aesthetic appeal and cultural significance, pollinating species like bees and butterfly species are lifelines for our physical condition, our food systems and our economies – sustaining the fruits, vegetables and seeds that sustain us,” said the IUCN director general. “The most recent assessments of the European red list reveal serious challenges, with dangers mounting for butterflies and crucial wild bee types.”
The reasons of the rapid recent declines are the continuing damage or destruction of habitats caused by farming intensification and deserted farmland, wetland drainage, livestock overgrazing, and the use of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoid pesticides. The fragmentation of pollinator-friendly habitat greatly increases the danger of disappearances in specific areas.
Global heating is also shown to be a primary risk: Fifty-two percent of all at-risk butterflies in European nations are imperilled by the climate crisis – about double the number as a decade ago.
Up to nine out of ten of blooming plants in the European continent depend on insect pollination, as stated by the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Sadly, native bee colonies are in severe drop and cannot be easily replaced by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If native bees disappear, many wild plants might be in danger as well – of which flower-rich meadows and lovely orchid types are just a couple of instances.”
15 varieties of bumblebee species, which play a crucial role in aiding the pollination of peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bee types, recognized for pollinating trees such as willows and red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type found only in the European continent and the single type of this genus group in European nations, is now assessed as critically endangered – the scientific classification closest to disappearance in the wild.
Butterfly types that are exclusively located on mountain tops are particularly vulnerable to global heating as they must ascend higher as their habitats become warmer but ultimately have no room left. In Spain’s southern region, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among over forty percent of types unique to Europe (exclusive to Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, types such as the severely threatened grayling of Karpathos are endangered by severe wildfires and drought.
Meanwhile, in the Far North, global warming is resulting in the tree line to advance northwards by many meters each year, with bushes invading bog and tundra. Hotter climates also mean reindeer can no more cross the frozen water to feed on Arctic meadows and keep them open. Eight butterfly species are facing extinction in this area, including Freyja’s fritillary and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The largest living space for all these pollinators is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is vanishing rapidly in the European continent because of all these factors,” said a lead coordinator for the butterfly assessment. “The good news is that so many people care now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member states have to turn around the drop in pollinating insects by 2030, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are property owners who are involved. We hope they can obtain the motivations that will support them on their way.”
According to Martin Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of steps for pollinators which won’t reduce crop yields – and may enhance it – such as growers creating margins rich in flowers around their cultivated areas.
EU commissioner for environment, portrayed the preservation condition of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “critical”.
“Prompt and unified steps is necessary to confront this danger. Along with member states, the European Commission has put in place an EU-wide tracking system for pollinating insects based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will help to track our progress. Now, we need to concentrate on implementation and partnership with member countries to protect our pollinating insects,” she said.
The publication of the assessments on bees and butterflies is subsequent to the pioneering EU-wide study on hoverflies, another vital pollinator group. Released in twenty-twenty-two, it disclosed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly species in the European continent were threatened with extinction.
