The total of native bee species in Europe experiencing disappearance has over doubled during the previous ten-year period, and the number of threatened butterfly species has nearly doubled.
This dire scenario for vital pollinating species was unveiled by scientific studies for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, which established that at least over 170 bee species out of 1,928 were threatened with extinction in European nations.
The total of butterflies facing extinction in European nations has grown from 37 to sixty-five since the last study, performed a decade and a half ago. A single species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been declared extinct.
In addition to their aesthetic appeal and cultural significance, pollinators like bees and butterfly species are lifelines for our well-being, our food supplies and our economic systems – supporting the fruits, veggies and seeds that sustain us,” said the IUCN director general. “The newest assessments of the European red list reveal serious challenges, with dangers mounting for butterfly species and essential non-managed bee varieties.”
The reasons of the rapid recent declines are the continuing destruction or damage of habitats caused by agricultural intensification and abandoned land, wetland drainage, livestock overgrazing, and the application of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoids. The division of habitat friendly to pollinators greatly increases the threat of extinctions at local level.
Global heating is also demonstrated to be a primary risk: Fifty-two percent of all endangered butterfly species in Europe are threatened by the climate crisis – about double the number as a previous decade.
Nearly nine out of ten of blooming plants in European nations require animal pollination, according to Dr Denis Michez. “Sadly, non-managed bee colonies are in drastic decline and are not easily replaceable by domesticated hives,” he said. “If native bees die out, many native plants might be threatened too – of which bloom-filled grasslands and lovely orchid types are just a few examples.”
Fifteen species of bumblebee species, which play a crucial role in pollinating peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bee types, known for aiding tree pollination such as willow trees and red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee unique to the mainland and the sole species of this genus in European nations, is now evaluated as critically at risk – the scientific classification nearest to extinction in the wild.
Butterfly species that are exclusively located on high-altitude areas are especially at risk to global heating as they have to climb upward as their living spaces become warmer but ultimately have no room left. In southern Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among over forty percent of species endemic to Europe (only found in Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, varieties such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling butterfly are threatened by severe drought and wildfires.
Meanwhile, in the Arctic region, climate change is causing the tree line to move north by many meters each year, with underbrush invading wetlands and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean caribou can no more cross the frozen water to graze Arctic grasslands and prevent them from overgrowing. 8 butterfly varieties are facing extinction in this zone, including Freyja’s fritillary and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The largest living space for all these pollinators is grassland rich in flowers and that is vanishing rapidly throughout European nations because of all these elements,” remarked a lead coordinator for the butterfly assessment. “The encouraging aspect is that so many citizens are aware now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member states have to halt the decrease in pollinating species by 2030, and they are going to have to begin taking action. There are landowners who are involved. It is hoped they can receive the encouragements that will help them on their way.”
As stated by Martin Warren, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of steps for pollinators which won’t reduce food production – and could improve it – such as growers establishing margins rich in flowers around their fields.
Jessika Roswall, characterized the protection status of non-managed bees, butterfly species and other pollinating insects as “dire”.
“Prompt and unified steps is necessary to confront this danger. Together with member countries, the European Commission has put in place an EU-wide monitoring system for pollinating species based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will assist in monitoring our progress. Now, we need to prioritize implementation and cooperation with participating nations to protect our pollinating species,” she said.
The publication of the assessments on bees and butterflies is subsequent to the pioneering EU-wide study on hoverflies, another essential pollinating insect category. Released in 2022, it revealed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly varieties in the European continent were facing extinction.
