The count of native bee species in the European continent confronting dying out has over doubled during the previous ten-year period, whereas the count of threatened butterfly types has close to doubled.
This pressing issue for vital pollinators was revealed by scientific studies for the red list of threatened species, which established that at least 172 bee types out of over 1900 were threatened with extinction in European nations.
The count of butterfly types at risk of extinction in European nations has grown from thirty-seven to sixty-five since the earlier research, performed over a decade past. A single species, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
Apart from their beauty and cultural value, pollinating insects like bees and butterflies are essential supports for our health, our food chains and our economic systems – maintaining the fruits, vegetables and seeds that nourish us,” stated the IUCN director general. “The latest European red list evaluations reveal major obstacles, with threats growing for butterfly species and vital non-managed bee varieties.”
The reasons of the rapid recent declines are the persistent destruction or damage of natural habitats caused by agricultural intensification and deserted farmland, draining of wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the use of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoids. The fragmentation of environments suitable for pollinators significantly raises the threat of local extinctions.
Global warming is also revealed to be a significant danger: 52% of all at-risk butterfly species in European nations are threatened by the climate emergency – about twofold the amount as a ten years ago.
Up to nine out of ten of blooming plants in European nations depend on pollination by animals, as stated by the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Sadly, non-managed bee colonies are in sharp decrease and cannot be easily replaced by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If wild bees disappear, many wild plants might be in danger as well – of which meadows rich in flowers and lovely orchid types are just a handful of illustrations.”
Fifteen species of bumblebee species, which perform a vital function in fertilizing crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bees, known for aiding tree pollination such as willow trees and red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species unique to the mainland and the sole species of this genus group in Europe, is now classified as critically at risk – the scientific classification closest to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterfly species that are only found on mountain peaks are highly susceptible to climate change as they need to move uphill as their environments become hotter but eventually run out of space. In the southern part of Spain, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among above 40 percent of European endemics (exclusive to Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, types such as the critically endangered grayling of Karpathos are threatened by severe wildfires and drought.
Meanwhile, in the Far North, global warming is leading to the timberline to shift northward by tens of metres each year, with underbrush taking over bog and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean Arctic deer can no longer cross the frozen water to graze Arctic meadows and keep them open. Eight types of butterflies are at risk of extinction in this zone, including Freyja’s fritillary and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The greatest environment for all these pollinators is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is declining quickly across European nations because of all these reasons,” remarked Martin Warren. “The good news is that so many people care now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all participating nations have to reverse the decrease in pollinating species by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to begin taking action. There are land holders who are engaged. We hope they can get the encouragements that will help them on their way.”
As per Martin Warren, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of measures for pollinating insects which won’t reduce food production – and could improve it – such as agricultural producers establishing bloom-filled edges around their fields.
the EU’s environment commissioner, portrayed the conservation status of non-managed bees, butterfly species and other pollinating insects as “severe”.
“Prompt and unified steps is necessary to tackle this threat. Together with member countries, the European Commission has established an Europe-wide tracking system for pollinating species based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will help to track our advancement. Now, we need to focus on implementation and partnership with participating nations to protect our pollinating species,” she said.
The issuance of the bee and butterfly assessments follows the first European-wide evaluation of hoverflies, another crucial pollinator group. Published in 2022, it disclosed that over one-third of all hoverfly varieties in the European continent were at risk of extinction.
