The count of non-managed bee species in European nations facing extinction has increased twofold in the last ten years, whereas the total of endangered butterfly has close to doubled.
This dire scenario for essential pollinating insects was revealed by scientific assessments for the IUCN red list, which established that at least one hundred seventy-two bee species out of over 1900 were threatened with extinction in European nations.
The number of butterfly types threatened with extinction in Europe has grown from thirty-seven to over sixty since the earlier research, conducted a decade and a half ago. A single species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been declared extinct.
“Beyond their visual charm and cultural significance, pollinators like bees and butterflies are crucial elements for our physical condition, our food supplies and our financial structures – maintaining the produce, vegetables and seeds that feed us,” commented the IUCN’s director general. “The most recent European red list evaluations reveal serious challenges, with threats growing for butterfly species and vital native bee varieties.”
The causes of the quick recent decreases are the persistent damage or destruction of natural habitats caused by intensive agriculture and abandoned land, wetland drainage, livestock overgrazing, and the utilization of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoids. The breaking up of habitat friendly to pollinators substantially boosts the threat of local extinctions.
Global heating is also shown to be a significant danger: Over half of all at-risk butterflies in European nations are endangered by the climate change crisis – roughly double the number as a previous decade.
Up to 90% of plants that flower in Europe rely on insect pollination, according to the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Regrettably, non-managed bee populations are in drastic decline and are not easily replaceable by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If native bees disappear, many non-cultivated plants might be at risk too – of which flower-rich meadows and lovely orchid types are just a couple of instances.”
Fifteen species of bumblebee types, which perform a vital function in pollinating legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bee types, known for fertilizing trees such as willows along with red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type exclusive to the mainland and the single type of this genus in Europe, is now assessed as critically at risk – the scientific category nearest to disappearance in the wild.
Butterfly types that are exclusively located on mountain tops are particularly vulnerable to global warming as they need to move uphill as their habitats become hotter but in the end have no room left. In Spain’s southern region, the Nevada grayling and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among more than 40% of types unique to Europe (exclusive to Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, species such as the severely threatened Karpathos grayling are imperilled by extreme drought and wildfires.
In the meantime, in the Far North, global warming is resulting in the timberline to shift northward by many meters each year, with underbrush invading wetlands and tundra. Hotter climates also mean reindeer can not anymore cross the ice sheets to browse Arctic meadows and prevent them from overgrowing. 8 butterfly varieties are at risk of extinction in this area, including Freyja’s fritillary and the Arctic ringlet.
“The biggest living space for all these pollinators is grassland rich in flowers and that is declining quickly in the European continent because of all these factors,” stated a lead coordinator for the butterfly assessment. “The positive thing is that so many citizens are aware now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all member countries have to halt the decrease in pollinating species by the year 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are landowners who are involved. It is hoped they can obtain the encouragements that will assist them on their way.”
According to the coordinator, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of steps for pollinating species which won’t reduce crop yields – and could improve it – such as agricultural producers developing margins rich in flowers around their cultivated areas.
EU commissioner for environment, described the conservation status of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “severe”.
“Prompt and unified steps is required to address this danger. Along with participating nations, the EU Commission has established an European Union-wide tracking system for pollinating species based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will aid in following our advancement. Now, we need to focus on application and partnership with participating nations to safeguard our pollinators,” she said.
The issuance of the bee and butterfly assessments comes after the pioneering Europe-wide assessment of hoverflies, an additional vital group of pollinators. Issued in 2022, it showed that over one-third of all hoverfly types in Europe were at risk of extinction.
