The count of non-managed bee varieties in Europe experiencing disappearance has increased twofold during the previous ten-year period, whereas the number of at-risk butterfly has close to doubled.
This pressing issue for crucial pollinating insects was unveiled by scientific studies for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, which found that at least one hundred seventy-two bee varieties out of over 1900 were facing extinction in the European continent.
The number of butterflies facing extinction in the European continent has risen from thirty-seven to 65 since the last study, carried out 14 years ago. One species, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
“Beyond their visual charm and cultural value, pollinating species like bees and butterfly species are essential supports for our health, our food supplies and our economic systems – sustaining the produce, vegetables and seeds that nourish us,” commented the IUCN director general. “The latest European red list evaluations reveal serious challenges, with dangers growing for butterfly species and essential wild bee species.”
The reasons of the quick recent decreases are the ongoing harm or degradation of habitats caused by intensive agriculture and abandoned land, draining wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the utilization of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoids. The division of environments suitable for pollinators greatly increases the danger of local extinctions.
Climate change is also shown to be a major threat: 52% of all at-risk butterfly species in Europe are endangered by the climate crisis – roughly twofold the amount as a decade ago.
Up to ninety percent of blooming plants in the European continent rely on animal pollination, according to the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Unfortunately, non-managed bee colonies are in severe drop and are not easily replaceable by managed colonies,” he said. “If native bees vanish, many wild plants might be at risk too – of which meadows rich in flowers and lovely orchid types are just a few examples.”
Fifteen types of bumblebees, which perform a vital function in fertilizing legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bees, known for aiding tree pollination such as willows and red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type unique to the mainland and the sole species of this biological genus in Europe, is now assessed as severely threatened – the scientific classification nearest to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterflies that are solely present on high-altitude areas are particularly vulnerable to global warming as they must ascend higher as their environments become warmer but ultimately run out of space. In southern Spain, the Nevada grayling and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among above 40 percent of European endemics (solely present in Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean, species such as the severely threatened Karpathos grayling are endangered by intense drought and wildfires.
Meanwhile, in the Arctic Circle, global warming is causing the timberline to shift northward by tens of metres each year, with bushes taking over marsh and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean reindeer can not anymore cross the ice sheets to graze northern grasslands and keep them open. Eight types of butterflies are threatened with extinction in this area, including the fritillary of Freyja and the Arctic ringlet.
“The largest environment for all these pollinators is grassland rich in flowers and that is disappearing very fast in Europe because of all these reasons,” remarked a lead coordinator for the butterfly assessment. “The encouraging aspect is that so many individuals care now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member states have to turn around the decline in pollinators by the year 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are property owners who are engaged. Let’s hope they can receive the encouragements that will help them on their way.”
As stated by the coordinator, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of measures for pollinators which won’t reduce crop yields – and may enhance it – such as growers establishing margins rich in flowers around their cultivated areas.
EU commissioner for environment, described the protection status of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “critical”.
“Urgent and collective action is needed to address this risk. Together with member countries, the EU Commission has implemented an Europe-wide monitoring system for pollinating species based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will aid in following our development. Now, we need to focus on application and collaboration with member countries to safeguard our pollinating species,” she said.
The publication of the bee and butterfly assessments follows the initial European-wide study on hoverflies, an additional essential group of pollinators. Released in twenty-twenty-two, it disclosed that 37% of all hoverfly types in the European continent were threatened with extinction.
