The count of native bee types in Europe experiencing dying out has increased twofold during the previous ten-year period, while the number of at-risk butterfly has close to doubled.
This dire scenario for crucial pollinating species was revealed by scientific assessments for the red list of threatened species, which established that at least 172 bee types out of 1,928 were facing extinction in European nations.
The number of butterflies facing extinction in the European continent has grown from thirty-seven to 65 since the earlier research, performed over a decade past. One type, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
“Beyond their aesthetic appeal and cultural value, pollinating species like bees and butterflies are lifelines for our physical condition, our food systems and our economies – maintaining the fruits, veggies and seeds that feed us,” said the IUCN’s director general. “The most recent European red list evaluations reveal significant difficulties, with risks increasing for butterfly types and crucial native bee varieties.”
The factors of the rapid recent declines are the continuing destruction or damage of living environments caused by agricultural intensification and abandoned land, draining of wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the utilization of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoid chemicals. The division of environments suitable for pollinators greatly increases the threat of disappearances in specific areas.
Global warming is also revealed to be a primary risk: Over half of all threatened butterfly types in the European continent are imperilled by the climate crisis – about twofold the amount as a ten years ago.
As many as nine out of ten of flowering plants in the European continent depend on pollination by animals, as stated by the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Sadly, wild bee groups are in sharp decrease and cannot be easily replaced by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If non-managed bees disappear, many wild plants might be in danger as well – of which bloom-filled grasslands and lovely orchid types are just a handful of illustrations.”
15 varieties of bumblebee species, which play a crucial role in fertilizing legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bee species, known for pollinating trees such as willows and red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species exclusive to the continent and the single type of this genus group in European nations, is now evaluated as critically endangered – the scientific category most akin to extinction in the wild.
Butterfly types that are exclusively located on mountain tops are particularly vulnerable to global heating as they need to move uphill as their habitats become more heated but in the end have no room left. In the southern part of Spain, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among more than 40% of types unique to Europe (solely present in Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, types such as the severely threatened Karpathos grayling are endangered by severe dry conditions and fires.
At the same time, in the Arctic Circle, global warming is leading to the tree line to shift northward by dozens of meters each year, with underbrush invading bog and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean reindeer can no longer cross the ice to graze Arctic meadows and prevent them from overgrowing. Eight butterfly species are at risk of extinction in this zone, including the fritillary of Freyja and the Arctic ringlet.
“The largest habitat for all these pollinators is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is disappearing very fast across the European continent because of all these factors,” said Martin Warren. “The positive thing is that so many citizens care now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member countries have to reverse the drop in pollinating insects by 2030, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are property owners who are involved. 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 action for pollinating insects which won’t reduce agricultural output – and could improve it – such as agricultural producers establishing bloom-filled edges around their cultivated areas.
Jessika Roswall, portrayed the protection status of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “severe”.
“Prompt and unified steps is required to confront this danger. Along with participating nations, the EU Commission has implemented an Europe-wide monitoring system for pollinating species based on the EU nature restoration law, which will help to track our progress. Now, we need to focus on implementation and partnership with member states to safeguard our pollinating species,” she said.
The publication of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies follows the first Europe-wide study on hoverflies, a further vital pollinating insect category. Published in twenty-twenty-two, it showed that 37% of all hoverfly species in Europe were at risk of extinction.
