The count of wild bee varieties in the European continent confronting extinction has increased twofold during the previous ten-year period, while the total of threatened butterfly types has almost doubled.
This pressing issue for crucial pollinators was revealed by scientific studies for the IUCN red list, which found that at least one hundred seventy-two bee types out of over 1900 were threatened with extinction in European nations.
The total of butterfly species facing extinction in Europe has increased from thirty-seven to 65 since the earlier research, performed over a decade past. One type, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
In addition to their aesthetic appeal and cultural value, pollinators like bees and butterflies are lifelines for our health, our food systems and our financial structures – maintaining the fruits, vegetables and seeds that sustain us,” commented Grethel Aguilar. “The most recent European red list evaluations reveal significant difficulties, with threats increasing for butterfly species and essential native bee varieties.”
The factors of the swift recent drops are the persistent destruction or damage of habitats caused by farming intensification and deserted farmland, draining wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the utilization of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid chemicals. The breaking up of pollinator-friendly habitat significantly raises the threat of local extinctions.
Climate change is also shown to be a significant danger: Fifty-two percent of all endangered butterflies in the European continent are endangered by the climate crisis – about twice as many as a decade ago.
Up to nine out of ten of blooming plants in Europe depend on pollination by animals, as stated by the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Unfortunately, wild bee colonies are in severe drop and are not easily replaceable by domesticated hives,” he said. “If native bees vanish, many native plants might be at risk too – of which bloom-filled grasslands and lovely orchid types are just a few examples.”
15 varieties of bumblebee species, which have an essential part in pollinating peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bee species, known for pollinating trees such as willows along with red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species unique to the European continent and the sole species of this biological genus in the European continent, is now assessed as critically endangered – the scientific category closest to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterfly types that are exclusively located on high-altitude areas are especially at risk to global warming as they must ascend higher as their environments become warmer but eventually exhaust available space. In southern Spain, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among more than 40% of European endemics (only found in Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, varieties such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling are endangered by extreme wildfires and drought.
At the same time, in the Arctic Circle, global heating is causing the timberline to shift northward by many meters each year, with underbrush encroaching on marsh and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean reindeer can no more cross the frozen water to browse Arctic grasslands and maintain them clear. Eight butterfly species are facing extinction in this region, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The largest living space for all these pollinating insects is grassland rich in flowers and that is vanishing rapidly throughout European nations because of all these reasons,” stated one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The good news is that so many people care now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member countries have to reverse the decrease in pollinating species by the year 2030, and they are going to have to begin taking action. There are property owners who are interested. We hope they can obtain the motivations that will help them on their way.”
As per Martin Warren, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of steps for pollinating insects which will not decrease food production – and might boost it – such as agricultural producers creating margins rich in flowers around their fields.
Jessika Roswall, described the protection status of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “dire”.
“Prompt and unified steps is needed to address this danger. Together with member states, the Commission of the European Union has put in place an EU-wide monitoring system for pollinating species based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will assist in monitoring our development. Now, we need to prioritize implementation and collaboration with member states to preserve our pollinating species,” she said.
The release of the bee and butterfly assessments comes after the first Europe-wide study on hoverflies, an additional vital pollinator group. Published in 2022, it disclosed that 37% of all hoverfly types in the European continent were facing extinction.
