The number of wild bee species in Europe experiencing dying out has increased twofold during the previous ten-year period, while the total of endangered butterfly has almost doubled.
This critical situation for essential pollinating insects was unveiled by research studies for the red list of threatened species, which determined that at least 172 bee varieties out of over 1900 were at risk of 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 earlier research, performed over a decade past. A single species, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
Apart from their visual charm and cultural significance, pollinators like bees and butterfly species are lifelines for our physical condition, our food chains and our financial structures – supporting the fruits, veggies and seeds that feed us,” commented the IUCN director general. “The latest assessments of the European red list reveal serious challenges, with threats growing for butterflies and crucial native bee species.”
The reasons of the quick recent decreases are the continuing destruction or damage of living environments caused by agricultural intensification and deserted farmland, draining of wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the application of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoid pesticides. The division of environments suitable for pollinators greatly increases the threat of disappearances in specific areas.
Global heating is also demonstrated to be a significant danger: Over half of all at-risk butterfly types in Europe are threatened by the climate crisis – approximately double the number as a ten years ago.
As many as ninety percent of flowering plants in Europe require pollination by animals, as stated by Dr Denis Michez. “Unfortunately, native bee populations are in drastic decline and cannot readily be substituted by managed colonies,” he said. “If wild bees disappear, many native plants might be threatened too – of which meadows rich in flowers and attractive orchid varieties are just a handful of illustrations.”
Fifteen species of bumblebee types, which have an essential part in fertilizing legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bee species, recognized for aiding tree pollination such as willows and red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee unique to the mainland and the single type of this genus in European nations, is now classified as critically at risk – the research category closest to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterflies that are solely present on high-altitude areas are particularly vulnerable to global warming as they must ascend higher as their environments become hotter but in the end exhaust available space. In Spain’s southern region, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among above 40 percent of types unique to Europe (only found in Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, varieties such as the severely threatened Karpathos grayling are threatened by extreme drought and wildfires.
In the meantime, in the Far North, climate change is causing the forest boundary to shift northward by dozens of meters each year, with underbrush encroaching on marsh and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean reindeer can not anymore cross the ice to graze Arctic meadows and maintain them clear. 8 butterfly varieties are facing extinction in this zone, including the fritillary of Freyja and the Arctic ringlet.
“The largest environment for all these pollinating species is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is disappearing very fast in the European continent because of all these reasons,” said Martin Warren. “The encouraging aspect is that so many people are concerned now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member states have to halt the drop in pollinating insects by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are property owners who are involved. We hope they can receive the encouragements that will assist them on their way.”
As stated by the coordinator, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of action for pollinators which won’t reduce agricultural output – and could improve it – such as farmers establishing flower-rich margins around their cultivated areas.
the EU’s environment commissioner, portrayed the protection status of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “critical”.
“Immediate and joint measures is necessary to tackle this danger. In collaboration with member countries, the EU Commission has put in place an EU-wide monitoring system for pollinating species based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will aid in following our development. Now, we need to concentrate on implementation and cooperation with member countries to protect our pollinators,” she said.
The release of the assessments on bees and butterflies is subsequent to the pioneering European-wide evaluation of hoverflies, another crucial group of pollinators. Published in 2022, it disclosed that 37% of all hoverfly types in the European continent were threatened with extinction.
