The count of non-managed bee types in European nations experiencing disappearance has more than doubled during the previous ten-year period, while the total of threatened butterfly has close to doubled.
This critical situation for vital pollinating insects was revealed by research studies for the IUCN red list, which found that at least 172 bee varieties out of 1,928 were threatened with extinction in Europe.
The number of butterfly types at risk of extinction in the European continent has risen from thirty-seven to over sixty since the previous assessment, performed a decade and a half ago. A single species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
Apart from their visual charm and cultural importance, pollinating species like bees and butterflies are essential supports for our health, our food supplies and our economies – sustaining the fruits, vegetables and seeds that sustain us,” commented Grethel Aguilar. “The most recent European red list evaluations reveal major obstacles, with threats increasing for butterflies and crucial non-managed bee varieties.”
The reasons of the rapid recent declines are the continuing harm or degradation of natural habitats caused by intensive agriculture and abandoned land, draining wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid pesticides. The breaking up of pollinator-friendly habitat substantially boosts the danger of local extinctions.
Global heating is also demonstrated to be a major threat: Fifty-two percent of all endangered butterfly species in Europe are threatened by the climate crisis – roughly twice as many as a decade ago.
Up to 90% of blooming plants in Europe rely on insect pollination, as per the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Regrettably, wild bee populations are in severe drop and cannot be easily replaced by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If native bees die out, many native plants might be at risk too – of which bloom-filled grasslands and beautiful orchid species are just a couple of instances.”
Fifteen types of bumblebee types, which play a crucial role in pollinating peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bee types, famous for fertilizing trees such as willows along with red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species exclusive to the European continent and the single type of this genus group in Europe, is now classified as critically endangered – the research category most akin to extinction in the wild.
Butterfly species that are exclusively located on mountain peaks are highly susceptible to global heating as they must ascend higher as their environments become more heated but in the end have no room left. In Spain’s southern region, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among more than 40% of types unique to Europe (exclusive to Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean, varieties such as the severely threatened Karpathos grayling are imperilled by extreme drought and wildfires.
In the meantime, in the Arctic Circle, global warming is leading to the tree line to move north by many meters each year, with scrub encroaching on bog and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean Arctic deer can no longer cross the ice sheets to graze Arctic meadows and keep them open. 8 butterfly varieties are threatened with extinction in this region, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The largest environment for all these pollinating insects is flower-rich grassland and that is disappearing very fast in Europe because of all these factors,” stated Martin Warren. “The encouraging aspect is that so many people are aware now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all member countries have to halt the drop in pollinating insects by the year 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are land holders who are interested. Let’s hope they can receive the encouragements that will support them on their way.”
As stated by Martin Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of measures for pollinating insects which will not lower food production – and may enhance it – such as agricultural producers establishing flower-rich margins around their farmland.
Jessika Roswall, portrayed the protection status of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “critical”.
“Urgent and collective action is required to confront this threat. Along with participating nations, the Commission of the European Union has put in place an Europe-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 cooperation with member states to safeguard our pollinators,” she said.
The issuance of the assessments on bees and butterflies follows the pioneering EU-wide evaluation of hoverflies, a further vital group of pollinators. Released in 2022, it revealed that over one-third of all hoverfly varieties in European nations were threatened with extinction.
