The total of native bee species in Europe experiencing disappearance has more than doubled over the past decade, whereas the number of endangered butterfly has almost doubled.
This pressing issue for vital pollinating species was revealed by scientific studies for the IUCN red list, which established that at least one hundred seventy-two bee types out of nearly two thousand were facing extinction in the European continent.
The count of butterflies facing extinction in Europe has risen from thirty-seven to sixty-five since the last study, performed a decade and a half ago. One species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
“Beyond their visual charm and cultural significance, pollinating species like bees and butterfly species are crucial elements for our physical condition, our food supplies and our financial structures – maintaining the fruits, vegetables and seeds that nourish us,” commented the IUCN’s director general. “The newest European red list assessments reveal significant difficulties, with threats growing for butterfly species and crucial native bee species.”
The factors of the quick recent decreases are the continuing damage or destruction of living environments caused by agricultural intensification and land abandonment, wetland drainage, overgrazing by livestock, and the application of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid pesticides. The fragmentation of pollinator-friendly habitat substantially boosts the threat of local extinctions.
Global warming is also shown to be a major threat: Over half of all threatened butterfly types in European nations are imperilled by the climate crisis – about twice as many as a previous decade.
Nearly 90% of blooming plants in the European continent depend on animal pollination, as stated by the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Unfortunately, non-managed bee groups are in drastic decline and cannot readily be substituted by domesticated hives,” he said. “If wild bees disappear, many non-cultivated plants might be threatened too – of which meadows rich in flowers and beautiful orchid species are just a handful of illustrations.”
Fifteen species of bumblebees, which play a crucial role in aiding the pollination of legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bee species, famous for pollinating trees such as willow trees and red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type unique to the mainland and the only species of this genus group in European nations, is now classified as severely threatened – the scientific classification closest to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterfly species that are solely present on mountain tops are particularly vulnerable to global heating as they have to climb upward as their habitats become more heated but eventually exhaust available space. In southern Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among above 40 percent of European endemics (only found in Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, species such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling butterfly are threatened by severe wildfires and drought.
At the same time, in the Arctic region, global warming is leading to the tree line to move north by dozens of meters each year, with underbrush invading marsh and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean Arctic deer can not anymore cross the frozen water to graze northern grasslands and prevent them from overgrowing. Eight types of butterflies are at risk of extinction in this area, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The biggest habitat for all these pollinators is flower-rich grassland and that is declining quickly in Europe because of all these elements,” stated one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The good news is that so many people are concerned now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all participating nations have to halt the decrease in pollinators by 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are property owners who are involved. Let’s hope they can receive the encouragements that will support them on their way.”
As per the coordinator, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of action for pollinating species which will not lower food production – and could improve it – such as growers developing margins rich in flowers around their farmland.
the EU’s environment commissioner, described the preservation condition of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “critical”.
“Urgent and collective action is needed to address this danger. In collaboration with member countries, the European Commission has put in place an Europe-wide tracking system for pollinating insects based on the EU nature restoration law, which will aid in following our development. Now, we need to prioritize application and collaboration with participating nations to preserve our pollinators,” she said.
The issuance of the assessments on bees and butterflies comes after the first European-wide assessment of hoverflies, a further vital group of pollinators. Published in twenty-twenty-two, it disclosed that 37% of all hoverfly varieties in European nations were threatened with extinction.
