The number of native bee varieties in Europe confronting extinction has over doubled in the last ten years, and the count of endangered butterfly types has close to doubled.
This critical situation for vital pollinating insects was revealed by scientific assessments for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, which determined that at least 172 bee species out of over 1900 were threatened with extinction in Europe.
The total of butterfly species facing extinction in Europe has grown from thirty-seven to 65 since the last study, carried out over a decade past. A single species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
“Beyond their visual charm and cultural importance, pollinating species like bees and butterflies are crucial elements for our health, our food supplies and our financial structures – maintaining the produce, vegetables and seeds that feed us,” stated Grethel Aguilar. “The latest European red list evaluations reveal serious challenges, with risks growing for butterflies and vital wild bee species.”
The reasons of the rapid recent declines are the persistent harm or degradation of habitats caused by intensive agriculture and abandoned land, wetland drainage, overgrazing by livestock, and the use of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid chemicals. The division of pollinator-friendly habitat greatly increases the threat of local extinctions.
Climate change is also demonstrated to be a primary risk: 52% of all endangered butterflies in European nations are imperilled by the climate crisis – roughly twofold the amount as a previous decade.
Nearly 90% of flowering plants in Europe depend on animal pollination, according to the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Unfortunately, wild bee populations are in sharp decrease and are not easily replaceable by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If native bees die out, many native plants might be threatened too – of which flower-rich meadows and beautiful orchid species are just a couple of instances.”
Fifteen types of bumblebee species, which play a crucial role in aiding the pollination of legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bee types, known for pollinating trees such as willows and red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type unique to the continent and the single type of this genus group in the European continent, is now assessed as critically endangered – the scientific category closest to disappearance in the wild.
Butterfly types that are solely present on mountain peaks are particularly vulnerable to global warming as they need to move uphill as their habitats become more heated but eventually run out of space. In Spain’s southern region, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among more than 40% of European endemics (exclusive to Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean, types such as the critically endangered Karpathos grayling are threatened by intense dry conditions and fires.
Meanwhile, in the Arctic Circle, global heating is leading to the timberline to shift northward by many meters each year, with underbrush encroaching on bog and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean Arctic deer can no longer cross the ice sheets to browse Arctic meadows and prevent them from overgrowing. Eight butterfly species are threatened with extinction in this region, including Freyja’s fritillary and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The largest living space for all these pollinators is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is declining quickly throughout European nations because of all these reasons,” remarked one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The good news is that so many citizens care now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the European Union nature restoration law, all participating nations have to halt the decrease in pollinating insects by 2030, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are land holders who are engaged. We hope they can get the motivations that will assist them on their way.”
As stated by Warren, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of action for pollinating species which will not decrease food production – and could improve it – such as farmers developing margins rich in flowers around their fields.
EU commissioner for environment, described the protection status of non-managed bees, butterfly species and other pollinating insects as “severe”.
“Prompt and unified steps is needed to confront this threat. In collaboration with member countries, the Commission of the European Union has implemented an European Union-wide observation system for pollinating species based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will aid in following our progress. Now, we need to prioritize execution and cooperation with member countries to protect our pollinating species,” she said.
The release of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies is subsequent to the pioneering EU-wide study on hoverflies, a further essential pollinator group. Issued in 2022, it disclosed that over one-third of all hoverfly varieties in the European continent were facing extinction.
