The number of wild bee types in European nations confronting extinction has increased twofold during the previous ten-year period, and the number of endangered butterfly types has close to doubled.
This critical situation for crucial pollinators was unveiled by scientific studies for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, which found that at least over 170 bee types out of nearly two thousand were facing extinction in European nations.
The count of butterfly species facing extinction in Europe has grown from 37 to 65 since the last study, carried out 14 years ago. One species, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
“Beyond their visual charm and cultural importance, pollinating species like bees along with butterflies are crucial elements for our physical condition, our food supplies and our economies – sustaining the produce, vegetables and seeds that sustain us,” said Grethel Aguilar. “The latest European red list evaluations reveal significant difficulties, with risks increasing for butterfly types and essential wild bee varieties.”
The reasons of the swift recent drops are the continuing damage or destruction of habitats caused by intensive agriculture and land abandonment, draining wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the use of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoid pesticides. The breaking up of pollinator-friendly habitat greatly increases the danger of disappearances in specific areas.
Climate change is also demonstrated to be a primary risk: 52% of all endangered butterfly types in Europe are imperilled by the climate change crisis – about twofold the amount as a decade ago.
Up to ninety percent of plants that flower in the European continent require animal pollination, as per Dr Denis Michez. “Regrettably, non-managed bee colonies are in severe drop and cannot be easily replaced by managed colonies,” he said. “If wild bees disappear, many non-cultivated plants might be threatened too – of which meadows rich in flowers and attractive orchid varieties are just a few examples.”
Fifteen types of bumblebee types, which have an essential part in pollinating peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bee species, known for fertilizing trees such as willows along with red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee exclusive to the mainland and the sole species of this genus in European nations, is now classified as severely threatened – the scientific classification closest to extinction in the wild.
Butterfly types that are solely present on mountain peaks are particularly vulnerable to global heating as they have to climb upward as their habitats become more heated but ultimately exhaust available space. In Spain’s southern region, the grayling of Nevada and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among above 40 percent of types unique to Europe (only found in Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, types such as the critically endangered Karpathos grayling are threatened by extreme drought and wildfires.
At the same time, in the Arctic Circle, global heating is leading to the tree line to advance northwards by many meters each year, with underbrush invading bog and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean Arctic deer can not anymore cross the ice to browse northern grasslands and keep them open. Eight butterfly species are facing extinction in this area, including the fritillary of Freyja and the Arctic ringlet.
“The greatest environment for all these pollinating insects is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is vanishing rapidly in Europe because of all these reasons,” stated one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The good news is that so many people are aware now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all participating nations have to turn around the decline in pollinating insects by 2030, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are property owners who are involved. Let’s hope they can obtain the motivations that will assist them on their way.”
According to the coordinator, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of steps for pollinating insects which will not lower crop yields – and might boost it – such as agricultural producers creating bloom-filled edges around their cultivated areas.
the EU’s environment commissioner, portrayed the preservation condition of non-managed bees, butterfly species and other pollinating insects as “severe”.
“Urgent and collective action is needed to tackle this risk. Together with member states, the Commission of the European Union has put in place an EU-wide observation system for pollinating insects based on the EU nature restoration law, which will help to track our progress. Now, we need to focus on execution and collaboration with participating nations to protect our pollinating insects,” she said.
The release of the bee and butterfly assessments is subsequent to the first Europe-wide assessment of hoverflies, another essential pollinating insect category. Released in 2022, it revealed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly varieties in the European continent were at risk of extinction.
