The number of wild bee types in European nations facing disappearance has more than doubled over the past decade, and the number of threatened butterfly types has close to doubled.
This dire scenario for crucial pollinating species was disclosed by scientific assessments for the red list of threatened species, which established that at least over 170 bee types out of nearly two thousand were at risk of extinction in the European continent.
The count of butterfly species at risk of extinction in European nations has increased from 37 to over sixty since the earlier research, conducted a decade and a half ago. One type, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been declared extinct.
In addition to their beauty and cultural importance, pollinators like bees along with butterflies are essential supports for our physical condition, our food supplies and our financial structures – sustaining the produce, vegetables and seeds that nourish us,” stated Grethel Aguilar. “The latest European red list evaluations reveal major obstacles, with dangers mounting for butterflies and essential non-managed bee varieties.”
The reasons of the quick recent decreases are the continuing harm or degradation of natural habitats caused by farming intensification and deserted farmland, wetland drainage, excessive grazing by animals, and the utilization of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid pesticides. The fragmentation of pollinator-friendly habitat significantly raises the risk of local extinctions.
Climate change is also shown to be a major threat: Over half of all threatened butterflies in the European continent are endangered by the climate emergency – about twice as many as a previous decade.
Nearly nine out of ten of plants that flower in European nations rely on pollination by animals, as stated by the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Unfortunately, wild bee groups are in drastic decline and cannot readily be substituted by domesticated hives,” he said. “If native bees disappear, many native plants might be threatened too – of which flower-rich meadows and lovely orchid types are just a few examples.”
Fifteen types of bumblebee species, which perform a vital function in fertilizing peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bee species, recognized for fertilizing trees such as willows and 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 European nations, is now evaluated as critically endangered – the research category most akin to disappearance in the wild.
Butterfly types that are exclusively located on mountain peaks are particularly vulnerable to global heating as they must ascend higher as their environments become more heated but eventually exhaust available space. In southern Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among more than 40% of types unique to Europe (solely present in Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, types such as the critically endangered Karpathos grayling butterfly are imperilled by intense dry conditions and fires.
In the meantime, in the Arctic Circle, global heating is resulting in the tree line to shift northward by dozens of meters each year, with underbrush invading marsh and tundra. Hotter climates also mean Arctic deer can not anymore cross the ice sheets to feed on Arctic meadows and keep them open. Eight butterfly species are threatened with extinction in this region, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The greatest living space for all these pollinating species is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is declining quickly in the European continent because of all these factors,” said Martin Warren. “The positive thing is that so many people are aware now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all member countries have to halt the drop in pollinating species by the year 2030, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are landowners who are interested. Let’s hope they can obtain the motivations that will assist them on their way.”
According to Martin Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of action for pollinating insects which won’t reduce crop yields – and may enhance it – such as agricultural producers developing margins rich in flowers around their farmland.
the EU’s environment commissioner, portrayed the conservation status of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “severe”.
“Prompt and unified steps is necessary to confront this threat. In collaboration with participating nations, the EU Commission has implemented an European Union-wide observation system for pollinating insects based on the EU nature restoration law, which will assist in monitoring our development. Now, we need to concentrate on execution and collaboration with member states to preserve our pollinating species,” she said.
The release of the assessments on bees and butterflies is subsequent to the pioneering Europe-wide study on hoverflies, another crucial pollinator group. Released in 2022, it showed that 37% of all hoverfly types in the European continent were at risk of extinction.
