The total of native bee types in the European continent experiencing disappearance has over doubled in the last ten years, and the number of endangered butterfly has close to doubled.
This critical situation for vital pollinating species was unveiled by research studies for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, which established that at least 172 bee species out of nearly two thousand were threatened with extinction in Europe.
The number of butterflies threatened with extinction in the European continent has risen from 37 to 65 since the previous assessment, carried out 14 years ago. A single species, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
“Beyond their beauty and cultural value, pollinators like bees and butterflies are lifelines for our health, our food supplies and our financial structures – maintaining the fruits, vegetables and seeds that feed us,” commented the IUCN’s director general. “The latest assessments of the European red list reveal significant difficulties, with risks mounting for butterfly species and essential wild bee types.”
The factors of the quick recent decreases are the continuing harm or degradation of living environments caused by agricultural intensification and land abandonment, draining wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the application of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid pesticides. The breaking up of pollinator-friendly habitat substantially boosts the danger of local extinctions.
Global warming is also shown to be a primary risk: Over half of all endangered butterflies in Europe are imperilled by the climate change crisis – roughly twofold the amount as a ten years ago.
As many as ninety percent of flowering plants in the European continent depend on animal pollination, as per the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Regrettably, non-managed bee colonies are in sharp decrease and are not easily replaceable by domesticated hives,” he said. “If non-managed bees disappear, many native plants might be at risk too – of which meadows rich in flowers and lovely orchid types are just a few examples.”
15 varieties of bumblebee species, which play a crucial role in fertilizing crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bees, famous for pollinating trees such as willows and red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee unique to the European continent and the only species of this genus group in the European continent, is now evaluated as severely threatened – the scientific category most akin to extinction in the wild.
Butterfly types that are only found on high-altitude areas 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 Nevada grayling butterfly and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among more than 40% of species endemic to Europe (exclusive to Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, species such as the severely threatened Karpathos grayling are imperilled by severe drought and wildfires.
At the same time, in the Arctic Circle, global heating is causing the timberline to move north by tens of metres each year, with scrub invading wetlands and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean caribou can not anymore cross the frozen water to browse Arctic grasslands and keep them open. Eight types of butterflies are at risk of extinction in this region, including Freyja’s fritillary and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The biggest habitat for all these pollinating insects is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is disappearing very fast across the European continent because of all these reasons,” stated Martin Warren. “The encouraging aspect is that so many individuals are concerned now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member states have to reverse the decline in pollinating species by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are land holders who are interested. Let’s hope they can obtain the incentives that will assist them on their way.”
According to Martin Warren, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of action for pollinating species which will not decrease crop yields – and may enhance it – such as agricultural producers creating margins rich in flowers around their fields.
the EU’s environment commissioner, described the preservation condition of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “critical”.
“Immediate and joint measures is necessary to address this threat. Together with participating nations, the EU Commission has put in place an European Union-wide observation system for pollinating insects based on the EU nature restoration law, which will assist in monitoring our progress. Now, we need to prioritize application and partnership with member countries to preserve our pollinating insects,” she said.
The issuance of the bee and butterfly assessments is subsequent to the initial European-wide study on hoverflies, another essential pollinator group. Released in twenty-twenty-two, it showed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly varieties in the European continent were at risk of extinction.
