The total of wild bee types in European nations facing dying out has over doubled in the last ten years, whereas the number of endangered butterfly types has nearly doubled.
This pressing issue for essential pollinating species was unveiled by research studies for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, which found that at least one hundred seventy-two bee species out of over 1900 were at risk of extinction in European nations.
The number of butterflies at risk of extinction in European nations has increased from 37 to over sixty since the previous assessment, conducted a decade and a half ago. A single species, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
Apart from their aesthetic appeal and cultural value, pollinators like bees and butterflies are lifelines for our physical condition, our food chains and our economic systems – sustaining the produce, vegetables and seeds that sustain us,” said the IUCN director general. “The newest European red list evaluations reveal serious challenges, with dangers growing for butterflies and vital native bee varieties.”
The reasons of the swift recent drops are the persistent destruction or damage of habitats caused by farming intensification and abandoned land, wetland drainage, excessive grazing by animals, and the application of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoids. The fragmentation of habitat friendly to pollinators greatly increases the threat of disappearances in specific areas.
Climate change is also shown to be a major threat: 52% of all at-risk butterfly types in the European continent are imperilled by the climate crisis – roughly double the number as a decade ago.
Up to ninety percent of blooming plants in European nations depend on animal pollination, according to the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Regrettably, non-managed bee groups are in drastic decline and are not easily replaceable by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If non-managed bees die out, many native plants might be at risk 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 fertilizing crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bee species, known for fertilizing trees such as willows and red maples, are now classified as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species found only in the European continent and the sole species of this genus group in the European continent, is now assessed as critically at risk – the scientific category nearest to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterflies that are solely present on mountain tops are particularly vulnerable to global warming as they have to climb upward as their environments become hotter but ultimately exhaust available space. In Spain’s southern region, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among more than 40% of European endemics (exclusive to Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean, varieties such as the critically endangered Karpathos grayling butterfly are endangered by intense dry conditions and fires.
At the same time, in the Arctic region, climate change is causing the timberline to move north by tens of metres each year, with underbrush taking over wetlands and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean caribou can not anymore cross the ice sheets to graze Arctic meadows and maintain them clear. Eight butterfly species are at risk of extinction in this area, including the fritillary of Freyja and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The greatest living space for all these pollinating insects is flower-rich grassland and that is disappearing very fast throughout European nations because of all these factors,” remarked Martin Warren. “The good news is that so many citizens are concerned now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the European Union nature restoration law, all participating nations have to reverse the drop in pollinating species by 2030, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are land holders who are engaged. It is hoped they can get the incentives that will assist them on their way.”
According to Martin Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of measures for pollinators which won’t reduce food production – and may enhance it – such as agricultural producers developing margins rich in flowers around their farmland.
Jessika Roswall, described the protection status of non-managed bees, butterfly species and other pollinating insects as “dire”.
“Urgent and collective action is needed to tackle this danger. Along with member states, the Commission of the European Union has implemented an Europe-wide monitoring system for pollinators based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will aid in following our development. Now, we need to concentrate on implementation and partnership with participating nations to protect our pollinators,” she said.
The publication of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies comes after the pioneering European-wide assessment of hoverflies, another essential pollinating insect category. Released in 2022, it disclosed that over one-third of all hoverfly species in Europe were threatened with extinction.
