The number of native bee types in the European continent facing disappearance has more than doubled over the past decade, and the total of endangered butterfly types has close to doubled.
This critical situation for vital pollinating species was unveiled by scientific assessments for the IUCN red list, which determined that at least 172 bee species out of 1,928 were facing extinction in the European continent.
The count of butterfly species at risk of extinction in the European continent has risen from 37 to 65 since the last study, performed over a decade past. One species, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
“Beyond their beauty and cultural value, pollinating insects like bees along with butterflies are lifelines for our health, our food chains and our financial structures – sustaining the fruits, vegetables and seeds that feed us,” stated the IUCN’s director general. “The latest assessments of the European red list reveal significant difficulties, with dangers increasing for butterfly species and vital non-managed bee types.”
The reasons of the rapid recent declines are the persistent damage or destruction of natural habitats caused by intensive agriculture and deserted farmland, wetland drainage, overgrazing by livestock, and the utilization of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid pesticides. The fragmentation of environments suitable for pollinators significantly raises the risk of extinctions at local level.
Global warming is also demonstrated to be a major threat: Over half of all at-risk butterflies in the European continent are imperilled by the climate change crisis – approximately twice as many as a previous decade.
Up to nine out of ten of flowering plants in European nations depend on animal pollination, as per the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Regrettably, wild bee groups are in severe drop and are not easily replaceable by domesticated hives,” he said. “If wild bees die out, many native plants might be threatened too – of which meadows rich in flowers and lovely orchid types are just a couple of instances.”
15 varieties of bumblebee types, which play a crucial role in aiding the pollination of crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bee types, recognized for pollinating trees such as willows along with red maples, are now classified as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species unique to the mainland and the only species of this genus group in European nations, is now evaluated as critically endangered – the scientific classification closest to disappearance in the wild.
Butterfly species that are solely present on mountain peaks are particularly vulnerable to global warming as they have to climb upward as their living spaces become hotter but in the end exhaust available space. In the southern part of Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among over forty percent of types unique to Europe (only found in Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, species such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling butterfly are imperilled by severe wildfires and drought.
At the same time, in the Far North, climate change is leading to the forest boundary to shift northward by dozens of meters each year, with underbrush invading wetlands and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean Arctic deer can no more cross the ice sheets to graze Arctic grasslands and prevent them from overgrowing. Eight butterfly species are facing extinction in this zone, including the fritillary of Freyja and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The greatest environment for all these pollinating species is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is vanishing rapidly across European nations because of all these reasons,” remarked a lead coordinator for the butterfly assessment. “The encouraging aspect is that so many citizens 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 insects by the year 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are property owners who are involved. It is hoped they can get the incentives that will support them on their way.”
As stated by Martin Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of steps for pollinators which won’t reduce agricultural output – and may enhance it – such as farmers creating bloom-filled edges around their fields.
Jessika Roswall, portrayed the protection status of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “critical”.
“Immediate and joint measures is needed to tackle this danger. Along with participating nations, the Commission of the European Union has established an EU-wide monitoring system for pollinating species based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will aid in following our progress. Now, we need to concentrate on application and collaboration with member states to safeguard our pollinating species,” she said.
The release of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies is subsequent to the first EU-wide assessment of hoverflies, another crucial group of pollinators. Released in 2022, it disclosed that over one-third of all hoverfly varieties in the European continent were facing extinction.
