The count of wild bee varieties in Europe confronting dying out has increased twofold during the previous ten-year period, and the count of endangered butterfly species has almost doubled.
This pressing issue for essential pollinating insects was unveiled by scientific studies for the red list of threatened species, which found that at least one hundred seventy-two bee species out of 1,928 were at risk of extinction in European nations.
The count of butterflies at risk of extinction in the European continent has grown from 37 to over sixty since the previous assessment, carried out 14 years ago. One species, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been declared extinct.
In addition to their beauty and cultural importance, pollinating species like bees and butterfly species are crucial elements for our physical condition, our food supplies and our economies – maintaining the fruits, veggies and seeds that sustain us,” stated the IUCN director general. “The latest assessments of the European red list reveal significant difficulties, with threats mounting for butterfly types and essential native bee varieties.”
The factors of the swift recent drops are the persistent damage or destruction of natural habitats caused by farming intensification and deserted farmland, draining of wetlands, excessive grazing by animals, and the utilization of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid pesticides. The breaking up of pollinator-friendly habitat significantly raises the risk of disappearances in specific areas.
Climate change is also revealed to be a primary risk: Over half of all at-risk butterflies in European nations are imperilled by the climate change crisis – about twice as many as a ten years ago.
As many as nine out of ten of plants that flower in Europe rely on pollination by animals, as stated by Dr Denis Michez. “Regrettably, non-managed bee colonies are in sharp decrease and are not easily replaceable by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If native bees vanish, many native plants might be at risk too – of which flower-rich meadows and lovely orchid types are just a handful of illustrations.”
Fifteen types of bumblebee species, which have an essential part in fertilizing peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bee types, known for fertilizing trees such as willows and red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee unique to the continent and the single type of this biological genus in Europe, is now assessed as severely threatened – the research category nearest to disappearance in the wild.
Butterfly types that are solely present on high-altitude areas are especially at risk to climate change as they need to move uphill as their environments become warmer but in the end run out of space. In southern Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among more than 40% of species endemic to Europe (solely present in Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean, types such as the severely threatened grayling of Karpathos are threatened by extreme dry conditions and fires.
In the meantime, in the Arctic region, climate change is causing the timberline to shift northward by dozens of meters each year, with underbrush invading bog and tundra. Hotter climates also mean reindeer can no longer cross the frozen water to browse northern grasslands and keep them open. Eight types of butterflies are at risk of extinction in this area, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the Arctic ringlet.
“The biggest habitat for all these pollinators is grassland rich in flowers and that is disappearing very fast in European nations because of all these factors,” remarked 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 European Union nature restoration law, all participating nations have to turn around the drop in pollinating species by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are land holders who are interested. It is hoped they can get the encouragements that will support them on their way.”
According to Martin Warren, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of action for pollinating species which will not lower food production – and may enhance it – such as growers creating margins rich in flowers around their cultivated areas.
Jessika Roswall, described the protection status of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “dire”.
“Immediate and joint measures is required to address this threat. Together with participating nations, the Commission of the European Union has put in place an EU-wide tracking system for pollinators based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will help to track our development. Now, we need to prioritize application and cooperation with participating nations to protect our pollinating insects,” she said.
The publication of the bee and butterfly assessments is subsequent to the first European-wide study on hoverflies, a further essential group of pollinators. Issued in 2022, it disclosed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly varieties in European nations were facing extinction.
