The number of wild bee varieties in European nations facing disappearance has increased twofold in the last ten years, while the total of endangered butterfly types has nearly doubled.
This critical situation for vital pollinating species was revealed by scientific studies for the IUCN red list, which established that at least 172 bee varieties out of 1,928 were threatened with extinction in Europe.
The count of butterfly types at risk of extinction in European nations has increased from 37 to over sixty since the last study, carried out over a decade past. One species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
“Beyond their aesthetic appeal and cultural importance, pollinating species like bees along with butterflies are essential supports for our well-being, our food supplies and our economic systems – supporting the produce, vegetables and seeds that nourish us,” said the IUCN’s director general. “The newest assessments of the European red list reveal significant difficulties, with threats mounting for butterfly types and crucial wild bee species.”
The reasons of the rapid recent declines are the persistent harm or degradation of habitats caused by intensive agriculture and land abandonment, draining wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the utilization of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoids. The division of pollinator-friendly habitat substantially boosts the danger of local extinctions.
Climate change is also revealed to be a primary risk: Fifty-two percent of all at-risk butterflies in Europe are imperilled by the climate crisis – about twofold the amount as a ten years ago.
As many as 90% of blooming plants in Europe rely on animal pollination, as per Dr Denis Michez. “Sadly, wild bee populations are in drastic decline and cannot readily be substituted by domesticated hives,” he said. “If non-managed bees die out, many non-cultivated plants might be at risk too – of which meadows rich in flowers and beautiful orchid species are just a handful of illustrations.”
Fifteen types of bumblebee species, which perform a vital function in fertilizing peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bee species, known for fertilizing trees such as willows and red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type found only in the European continent and the sole species of this genus in Europe, is now evaluated as severely threatened – the scientific classification closest to extinction in the wild.
Butterfly species that are exclusively located on mountain peaks are particularly vulnerable to global heating as they must ascend higher as their living spaces become warmer but ultimately run out of space. In southern Spain, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among over forty percent of European endemics (exclusive to Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, varieties such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling are imperilled by severe dry conditions and fires.
In the meantime, in the Arctic Circle, climate change is resulting in the timberline to shift northward by tens of metres each year, with bushes taking over bog and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean caribou can not anymore cross the frozen water to graze northern grasslands and maintain them clear. Eight types of butterflies are threatened with extinction in this area, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The biggest environment for all these pollinators is flower-rich grassland and that is disappearing very fast in the European continent because of all these reasons,” remarked Martin Warren. “The encouraging aspect is that so many people care now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all member countries have to turn around the drop in pollinators by the year 2030, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are landowners who are involved. We hope they can obtain the encouragements that will support them on their way.”
As stated by Martin Warren, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of action for pollinators which will not lower food production – and might boost it – such as farmers creating flower-rich margins around their cultivated areas.
the EU’s environment commissioner, described the preservation condition of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “critical”.
“Immediate and joint measures is required to confront this risk. In collaboration with participating nations, the EU Commission has established an Europe-wide observation system for pollinators based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will assist in monitoring our progress. Now, we need to concentrate on execution and partnership with participating nations to safeguard our pollinating species,” she said.
The publication of the bee and butterfly assessments comes after the initial Europe-wide study on hoverflies, another crucial group of pollinators. Published in 2022, it disclosed that over one-third of all hoverfly varieties in Europe were threatened with extinction.
