The count of non-managed bee varieties in Europe facing disappearance has more than doubled during the previous ten-year period, whereas the total of at-risk butterfly types has close to doubled.
This pressing issue for essential pollinating species was unveiled by research studies for the red list of threatened species, which found that at least 172 bee types out of 1,928 were at risk of extinction in Europe.
The count of butterflies threatened with extinction in Europe has risen from thirty-seven to sixty-five since the last study, conducted over a decade past. One species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
In addition to their beauty and cultural value, pollinating insects like bees and butterfly species are lifelines for our well-being, our food systems and our economic systems – sustaining the produce, vegetables and seeds that feed us,” said the IUCN’s director general. “The most recent European red list evaluations reveal major obstacles, with risks mounting for butterfly types and vital native bee types.”
The factors of the rapid recent declines are the ongoing damage or destruction of habitats caused by agricultural intensification and deserted farmland, draining of wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoids. The fragmentation of habitat friendly to pollinators substantially boosts the risk of local extinctions.
Global warming is also revealed to be a significant danger: Fifty-two percent of all endangered butterflies in European nations are imperilled by the climate crisis – about twofold the amount as a ten years ago.
Up to ninety percent of blooming plants in Europe rely on animal pollination, according to Dr Denis Michez. “Sadly, native bee populations are in sharp decrease and are not easily replaceable by managed colonies,” he said. “If wild bees vanish, many wild plants might be threatened too – of which bloom-filled grasslands and beautiful orchid species are just a handful of illustrations.”
Fifteen types of bumblebees, which perform a vital function in aiding the pollination of crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bees, recognized for fertilizing trees such as willow trees and red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee found only in the European continent and the sole species of this genus in European nations, is now assessed as severely threatened – the research category closest to extinction in the wild.
Butterfly types that are solely present on high-altitude areas are highly susceptible to global warming as they must ascend higher as their living spaces become hotter but ultimately exhaust available space. In Spain’s southern region, the Nevada grayling and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among over forty percent of species endemic to Europe (only found in Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean, types such as the critically endangered Karpathos grayling butterfly are endangered by extreme dry conditions and fires.
In the meantime, in the Far North, global warming is leading to the timberline to advance northwards by many meters each year, with underbrush taking over bog and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean reindeer can no more cross the frozen water to browse Arctic meadows and prevent them from overgrowing. Eight types of butterflies are threatened with extinction in this region, including the fritillary of Freyja and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The largest habitat for all these pollinators is grassland rich in flowers and that is declining quickly in European nations because of all these factors,” stated a lead coordinator for the butterfly assessment. “The encouraging aspect is that so many citizens care now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the European Union nature restoration law, all member countries have to halt the decline in pollinators by the year 2030, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are property owners who are engaged. It is hoped they can obtain the incentives that will assist them on their way.”
As stated by the coordinator, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of steps for pollinators which won’t reduce agricultural output – and may enhance it – such as farmers creating bloom-filled edges around their fields.
Jessika Roswall, portrayed the preservation condition of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “dire”.
“Immediate and joint measures is needed to tackle this danger. Along with member countries, the EU Commission has put in place an Europe-wide monitoring system for pollinating species based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will assist in monitoring our development. Now, we need to concentrate on implementation and partnership with participating nations to protect our pollinating insects,” she said.
The publication of the assessments on bees and butterflies is subsequent to the initial Europe-wide study on hoverflies, an additional vital pollinator group. Published in 2022, it revealed that 37% of all hoverfly types in the European continent were at risk of extinction.
