The number of native bee varieties in European nations confronting dying out has over doubled during the previous ten-year period, while the number of endangered butterfly species has close to doubled.
This dire scenario for crucial pollinators was disclosed by scientific assessments for the IUCN red list, which established that at least one hundred seventy-two bee species out of nearly two thousand were facing extinction in European nations.
The number of butterfly types at risk of extinction in the European continent has risen from thirty-seven to 65 since the last study, conducted over a decade past. One type, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
Apart from their beauty and cultural significance, pollinating insects like bees and butterflies are crucial elements for our health, our food chains and our economies – maintaining the produce, vegetables and seeds that feed us,” commented the IUCN’s director general. “The latest assessments of the European red list reveal serious challenges, with threats growing for butterfly types and essential native bee species.”
The factors of the swift recent drops are the ongoing destruction or damage of living environments caused by farming intensification and deserted farmland, wetland drainage, overgrazing by livestock, and the use of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid pesticides. The fragmentation of environments suitable for pollinators substantially boosts the threat of extinctions at local level.
Global warming is also shown to be a significant danger: Over half of all at-risk butterflies in Europe are endangered by the climate crisis – roughly double the number as a ten years ago.
As many as 90% of flowering plants in European nations depend on animal pollination, according to Dr Denis Michez. “Regrettably, non-managed bee populations are in sharp decrease and cannot readily be substituted by managed colonies,” he said. “If wild bees vanish, many non-cultivated plants might be in danger as well – of which bloom-filled grasslands and beautiful orchid species are just a couple of instances.”
Fifteen species of bumblebee types, which play a crucial role in pollinating peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bee types, known for aiding tree pollination such as willow trees and red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species unique to the mainland and the sole species of this genus group in Europe, is now evaluated as critically at risk – the scientific category nearest to disappearance in the wild.
Butterfly types that are only found on mountain peaks are especially at risk to climate change as they must ascend higher as their living spaces become hotter but ultimately have no room left. In the southern part of Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among above 40 percent of European endemics (exclusive to Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, varieties such as the highly at-risk grayling of Karpathos are endangered by extreme dry conditions and fires.
Meanwhile, in the Arctic Circle, global warming is resulting in the forest boundary to advance northwards by many meters each year, with underbrush invading wetlands and tundra. Hotter climates also mean Arctic deer can no more cross the ice to feed on northern grasslands and prevent them from overgrowing. Eight butterfly species are facing extinction in this zone, including the fritillary of Freyja and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The biggest environment for all these pollinating species is grassland rich in flowers and that is disappearing very fast throughout the European continent because of all these reasons,” said a lead coordinator for the butterfly assessment. “The good news is that so many citizens are concerned now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all member countries have to reverse the decrease in pollinating insects by 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are property owners who are interested. We hope they can receive the motivations that will assist them on their way.”
According to Warren, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of action for pollinating species which will not decrease crop yields – and may enhance it – such as growers developing margins rich in flowers around their farmland.
the EU’s environment commissioner, characterized the protection status of non-managed bees, butterfly species and other pollinating insects as “dire”.
“Prompt and unified steps is required to tackle this threat. Together with member states, the European Commission has established an EU-wide tracking system for pollinators based on the EU nature restoration law, which will aid in following our development. Now, we need to concentrate on execution and collaboration with member countries to preserve our pollinating species,” she said.
The release of the assessments on bees and butterflies follows the first EU-wide assessment of hoverflies, an additional vital group of pollinators. Published in 2022, it showed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly types in European nations were facing extinction.
