The total of wild bee species in the European continent facing disappearance has over doubled during the previous ten-year period, and the total of at-risk butterfly types has close to doubled.
This critical situation for crucial pollinating species was unveiled by scientific studies for the red list of threatened species, which found that at least 172 bee species out of over 1900 were facing extinction in Europe.
The total of butterfly species facing extinction in the European continent has increased from thirty-seven to sixty-five since the earlier research, performed a decade and a half ago. One type, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
“Beyond their beauty and cultural importance, pollinators like bees along with butterflies are essential supports for our physical condition, our food systems and our economies – sustaining the fruits, vegetables and seeds that sustain us,” commented the IUCN director general. “The most recent European red list evaluations reveal serious challenges, with threats growing for butterfly types and crucial native 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, wetland drainage, overgrazing by livestock, and the application of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid chemicals. The fragmentation of environments suitable for pollinators substantially boosts the risk of disappearances in specific areas.
Global warming is also demonstrated to be a significant danger: Over half of all endangered butterfly types in European nations are endangered by the climate change crisis – roughly double the number as a decade ago.
As many as nine out of ten of plants that flower in European nations require animal pollination, as per the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Regrettably, wild bee populations are in drastic decline and cannot be easily replaced by domesticated hives,” he said. “If native bees vanish, many non-cultivated plants might be threatened too – of which meadows rich in flowers and lovely orchid types are just a couple of instances.”
Fifteen types of bumblebee types, which have an essential part in pollinating legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bee species, recognized for aiding tree pollination such as willows along with red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type found only in the mainland and the sole species of this biological genus in Europe, is now classified as critically at risk – the scientific classification most akin to disappearance in the wild.
Butterfly species that are exclusively located on mountain tops are especially at risk to global heating as they must ascend higher as their living spaces become hotter but in the end exhaust available space. In the southern part of Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among over forty percent of types unique to Europe (only found in Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, species such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling butterfly are threatened by severe drought and wildfires.
Meanwhile, in the Arctic region, global warming is resulting in the tree line to move north by dozens of meters each year, with underbrush encroaching on bog and tundra. Hotter climates also mean caribou can no longer cross the ice to feed on Arctic meadows and keep them open. Eight types of butterflies are threatened with extinction in this area, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The biggest living space for all these pollinating species is grassland rich in flowers and that is disappearing very fast across Europe because of all these elements,” said Martin Warren. “The encouraging aspect is that so many individuals care now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all participating nations have to reverse the drop in pollinators by 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are land holders who are interested. We hope they can obtain the incentives that will help them on their way.”
According to Martin Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of action for pollinators which won’t reduce agricultural output – and might boost it – such as agricultural producers developing flower-rich margins around their cultivated areas.
Jessika Roswall, characterized the conservation status of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “dire”.
“Prompt and unified steps is needed to tackle this danger. In collaboration with member countries, the Commission of the European Union has implemented an EU-wide observation system for pollinating insects based on the EU nature restoration law, which will help to track our development. Now, we need to concentrate on application and partnership with member states to protect our pollinators,” she said.
The issuance of the bee and butterfly assessments is subsequent to the first Europe-wide evaluation of hoverflies, an additional vital pollinator group. Issued in 2022, it disclosed that 37% of all hoverfly types in Europe were threatened with extinction.
