The count of native bee species in Europe confronting dying out has more than doubled over the past decade, whereas the total of endangered butterfly species has close to doubled.
This pressing issue for essential pollinating insects was unveiled by scientific assessments for the red list of threatened species, which determined that at least one hundred seventy-two bee types 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 thirty-seven to 65 since the previous assessment, carried out over a decade past. One type, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been declared extinct.
“Beyond their beauty and cultural value, pollinators like bees and butterflies are lifelines for our well-being, our food supplies and our economic systems – maintaining the fruits, vegetables and seeds that feed us,” stated Grethel Aguilar. “The latest European red list evaluations reveal serious challenges, with threats increasing for butterflies and crucial non-managed bee species.”
The factors of the rapid recent declines are the continuing harm or degradation of habitats caused by farming intensification and abandoned land, wetland drainage, excessive grazing by animals, and the utilization of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoid pesticides. The fragmentation of environments suitable for pollinators greatly increases the risk of extinctions at local level.
Global heating is also shown to be a significant danger: Over half of all endangered butterfly species in the European continent are threatened by the climate crisis – about double the number as a decade ago.
Nearly nine out of ten of plants that flower in European nations rely on insect pollination, as per the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Regrettably, wild bee populations are in sharp decrease and are not easily replaceable by domesticated hives,” he said. “If non-managed bees vanish, many native plants might be threatened too – of which meadows rich in flowers and attractive orchid varieties are just a few examples.”
Fifteen species of bumblebees, which perform a vital function in pollinating crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bees, famous for aiding tree pollination such as willows along with red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species found only in the continent and the sole species of this genus group in the European continent, is now evaluated as critically endangered – the research category closest to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterfly types that are only found on mountain peaks are particularly vulnerable to global heating as they must ascend higher as their habitats become more heated but eventually have no room left. In the southern part of Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among more than 40% of types unique to Europe (only found in Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, varieties such as the severely threatened Karpathos grayling are endangered by extreme dry conditions and fires.
In the meantime, in the Arctic Circle, global warming is leading to the timberline to move north by tens of metres each year, with underbrush encroaching on wetlands and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean Arctic deer can no longer cross the ice sheets to browse Arctic grasslands and keep them open. 8 butterfly varieties are facing extinction in this zone, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The largest habitat for all these pollinating species is grassland rich in flowers and that is vanishing rapidly across European nations because of all these factors,” said Martin Warren. “The good news is that so many people care now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member countries have to halt the decline in pollinators by 2030, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are property owners who are interested. We hope they can obtain the motivations that will help them on their way.”
As stated by Martin Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of steps for pollinating species which will not lower food production – and could improve it – such as farmers establishing bloom-filled edges around their fields.
Jessika Roswall, described the protection status of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “severe”.
“Immediate and joint measures is required to confront this threat. Along with member countries, the Commission of the European Union has implemented an European Union-wide observation system for pollinating insects based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will assist in monitoring our advancement. Now, we need to concentrate on execution and collaboration with member states to protect our pollinating species,” she said.
The issuance of the bee and butterfly assessments follows the first European-wide evaluation of hoverflies, another vital pollinating insect category. Released in 2022, it showed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly types in Europe were facing extinction.
