The number of wild bee species in European nations experiencing extinction has increased twofold during the previous ten-year period, and the count of endangered butterfly types has nearly doubled.
This dire scenario for vital pollinating species was unveiled by scientific studies for the red list of threatened species, which established that at least 172 bee varieties out of over 1900 were facing extinction in European nations.
The total of butterfly species at risk of extinction in the European continent has grown from thirty-seven to 65 since the previous assessment, conducted 14 years ago. A single species, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
Apart from their beauty and cultural importance, pollinating species like bees along with butterflies are essential supports for our well-being, our food supplies and our financial structures – maintaining the fruits, veggies and seeds that nourish us,” commented the IUCN’s director general. “The newest assessments of the European red list reveal significant difficulties, with threats increasing for butterfly species and essential wild bee types.”
The factors of the swift recent drops are the persistent harm or degradation of natural habitats caused by intensive agriculture and abandoned land, draining wetlands, excessive grazing by animals, and the utilization of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoids. The fragmentation of pollinator-friendly habitat substantially boosts the threat of local extinctions.
Global heating is also demonstrated to be a primary risk: 52% of all threatened butterfly types in the European continent are imperilled by the climate crisis – about twice as many as a decade ago.
Up to 90% of flowering plants in Europe rely on animal pollination, as stated by the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Regrettably, non-managed bee groups are in drastic decline and cannot readily be substituted by domesticated hives,” he said. “If wild bees vanish, many wild plants might be threatened too – of which bloom-filled grasslands and attractive orchid varieties are just a handful of illustrations.”
Fifteen types of bumblebee species, which play a crucial role in pollinating crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bees, recognized for pollinating trees such as willows and red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type exclusive to the continent and the sole species of this genus in Europe, is now evaluated as critically at risk – the scientific classification nearest to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterfly species that are only found on mountain tops are particularly vulnerable to global heating as they need to move uphill as their habitats become more heated but eventually run out of space. In Spain’s southern region, the Nevada grayling and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among more than 40% of species endemic to Europe (solely present in Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, types such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling are imperilled by extreme drought and wildfires.
At the same time, in the Arctic region, global heating is causing the timberline to move north by dozens of meters each year, with bushes taking over marsh and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean caribou can no longer cross the ice to graze Arctic grasslands and keep them open. Eight types of butterflies are at risk of extinction in this region, including the fritillary of Freyja and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The largest environment for all these pollinators is flower-rich grassland and that is disappearing very fast in European nations because of all these factors,” stated a lead coordinator for the butterfly assessment. “The encouraging aspect is that so many individuals are concerned now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all participating nations have to halt the decline in pollinators by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are land holders who are involved. We hope they can get the incentives that will help them on their way.”
As stated by Martin Warren, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of measures for pollinating species which won’t reduce crop yields – and may enhance it – such as farmers creating flower-rich margins around their farmland.
Jessika Roswall, characterized the conservation status of non-managed bees, butterfly species and other pollinating insects as “critical”.
“Immediate and joint measures is required to tackle this risk. In collaboration with participating nations, the European Commission has established an European Union-wide observation system for pollinating species based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will assist in monitoring our advancement. Now, we need to focus on application and collaboration with member countries to preserve our pollinating insects,” she said.
The publication of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies comes after the pioneering EU-wide evaluation of hoverflies, an additional essential pollinating insect category. Published in 2022, it disclosed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly varieties in European nations were threatened with extinction.
