The total of wild bee types in European nations experiencing extinction has over doubled in the last ten years, whereas the number of endangered butterfly species has nearly doubled.
This pressing issue for vital pollinating species was revealed by scientific assessments for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, which found that at least over 170 bee types out of 1,928 were threatened with extinction in European nations.
The number of butterfly species at risk of extinction in the European continent has increased from thirty-seven to sixty-five since the previous assessment, conducted a decade and a half ago. One species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
Apart from their aesthetic appeal and cultural significance, pollinating species like bees and butterfly species are essential supports for our physical condition, our food systems and our financial structures – maintaining the fruits, vegetables and seeds that feed us,” commented the IUCN director general. “The latest assessments of the European red list reveal major obstacles, with risks growing for butterflies and vital non-managed bee varieties.”
The causes of the swift recent drops are the persistent destruction or damage of natural habitats caused by farming intensification and deserted farmland, draining of wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the use of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid chemicals. The breaking up of environments suitable for pollinators substantially boosts the risk of disappearances in specific areas.
Global heating is also demonstrated to be a major threat: Fifty-two percent of all threatened butterfly species in Europe are threatened by the climate emergency – approximately double the number as a previous decade.
Up to 90% of flowering plants in Europe require insect pollination, as stated by the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Regrettably, native bee groups are in severe drop and cannot be easily replaced by domesticated hives,” he said. “If wild bees disappear, many native plants might be threatened too – of which meadows rich in flowers and attractive orchid varieties are just a few examples.”
Fifteen species of bumblebees, which have an essential part in pollinating legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bee species, recognized for pollinating trees such as willow trees and red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee found only in the mainland and the sole species of this genus in Europe, is now evaluated as critically endangered – the scientific category most akin to disappearance in the wild.
Butterflies that are only found on high-altitude areas are especially at risk to global heating as they must ascend higher as their habitats become hotter but eventually have no room left. In the southern part of Spain, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among more than 40% of European endemics (solely present in Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, varieties such as the critically endangered Karpathos grayling butterfly are imperilled by extreme wildfires and drought.
Meanwhile, in the Arctic Circle, climate change is resulting in the tree line to move north by many meters each year, with underbrush encroaching on wetlands and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean caribou can not anymore cross the ice sheets to browse northern grasslands and maintain them clear. Eight types of butterflies are at risk of extinction in this zone, including the fritillary of Freyja and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The greatest living space for all these pollinating insects is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is declining quickly across Europe because of all these factors,” remarked Martin Warren. “The encouraging aspect is that so many people are concerned now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member states have to halt the decrease in pollinating species by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to begin taking action. There are landowners who are interested. Let’s hope they can obtain the motivations that will support them on their way.”
As stated by Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of measures for pollinators which won’t reduce crop yields – and might boost it – such as farmers establishing flower-rich margins around their farmland.
EU commissioner for environment, characterized the conservation status of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “dire”.
“Immediate and joint measures is necessary to confront this danger. Together with participating nations, the Commission of the European Union has put in place an EU-wide tracking system for pollinating insects based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will help to track our progress. Now, we need to focus on application and collaboration with participating nations to safeguard our pollinating species,” she said.
The publication of the bee and butterfly assessments follows the first EU-wide assessment of hoverflies, an additional vital group of pollinators. Released in 2022, it showed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly species in the European continent were facing extinction.
