The total of native bee varieties in Europe experiencing disappearance has more than doubled in the last ten years, while the count of threatened butterfly types has close to doubled.
This critical situation for crucial pollinating insects was disclosed by scientific studies for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, which established that at least 172 bee varieties out of nearly two thousand were threatened with extinction in Europe.
The count of butterfly types threatened with extinction in European nations has increased from 37 to sixty-five since the earlier research, carried out 14 years ago. A single species, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
In addition to their beauty and cultural importance, pollinating species like bees along with butterflies are lifelines for our health, our food chains and our economies – maintaining the produce, vegetables and seeds that feed us,” commented Grethel Aguilar. “The newest European red list evaluations reveal serious challenges, with threats mounting for butterfly types and essential native bee varieties.”
The factors of the rapid recent declines are the persistent damage or destruction of natural habitats caused by agricultural intensification and abandoned land, draining of wetlands, excessive grazing by animals, and the application of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid pesticides. The fragmentation of environments suitable for pollinators significantly raises the danger of extinctions at local level.
Global warming is also shown to be a major threat: Over half of all threatened butterflies in Europe are imperilled by the climate emergency – roughly double the number as a ten years ago.
Nearly 90% of flowering plants in the European continent require animal pollination, according to the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Sadly, wild bee populations are in severe drop and cannot be easily replaced by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If wild bees die out, many non-cultivated plants might be at risk too – of which flower-rich meadows and lovely orchid types are just a couple of instances.”
15 varieties of bumblebee species, which play a crucial role in fertilizing legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bee types, famous for aiding tree pollination such as willow trees and red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species exclusive to the mainland and the single type of this genus in European nations, is now assessed as critically endangered – the scientific category nearest to extinction in the wild.
Butterfly species that are exclusively located on mountain peaks are especially at risk to global heating as they have to climb upward as their living spaces become hotter but in the end run out of space. In the southern part of Spain, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among over forty percent of European endemics (solely present in Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, species such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling butterfly are threatened by severe dry conditions and fires.
Meanwhile, in the Far North, global warming is leading to the timberline to move north by many meters each year, with underbrush encroaching on bog and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean caribou can no longer cross the ice to feed on Arctic grasslands and maintain them clear. Eight types of butterflies are facing extinction in this area, including Freyja’s fritillary and the Arctic ringlet.
“The largest environment for all these pollinating insects is grassland rich in flowers and that is declining quickly across the European continent because of all these elements,” stated Martin Warren. “The good news is that so many individuals are concerned now and there’s a lot more understanding. 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 landowners who are engaged. It is hoped they can get the encouragements that will help them on their way.”
According to the coordinator, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of steps for pollinating insects which will not lower agricultural output – and might boost it – such as farmers establishing bloom-filled edges around their fields.
the EU’s environment commissioner, described the protection status of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “severe”.
“Prompt and unified steps is necessary to address this threat. Together with member states, the Commission of the European Union has implemented an Europe-wide monitoring system for pollinating insects based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will aid in following our advancement. Now, we need to focus on implementation and cooperation with member states to preserve our pollinating species,” she said.
The issuance of the assessments on bees and butterflies comes after the first European-wide evaluation of hoverflies, another crucial pollinating insect category. Published in 2022, it disclosed that over one-third of all hoverfly species in the European continent were facing extinction.
