The count of wild bee species in European nations facing dying out has more than doubled during the previous ten-year period, and the count of at-risk butterfly species has almost doubled.
This critical situation for crucial pollinators was disclosed by scientific assessments for the IUCN red list, which determined that at least 172 bee species out of 1,928 were facing extinction in European nations.
The number of butterflies facing extinction in Europe has increased from thirty-seven to sixty-five since the earlier research, conducted 14 years ago. A single species, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
“Beyond their beauty and cultural value, pollinators like bees along with butterflies are essential supports for our physical condition, our food chains and our financial structures – maintaining the produce, vegetables and seeds that sustain us,” commented Grethel Aguilar. “The most recent European red list assessments reveal serious challenges, with dangers mounting for butterfly species and crucial non-managed bee types.”
The reasons of the quick recent decreases are the continuing destruction or damage of habitats caused by farming intensification and abandoned land, draining of wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the utilization of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoid pesticides. The fragmentation of pollinator-friendly habitat significantly raises the threat of local extinctions.
Global warming is also demonstrated to be a primary risk: 52% of all threatened butterfly types in the European continent are endangered by the climate change crisis – approximately twofold the amount as a previous decade.
As many as ninety percent of blooming plants in European nations rely on animal pollination, as stated by Dr Denis Michez. “Sadly, non-managed bee groups are in drastic decline and are not easily replaceable by managed colonies,” he said. “If non-managed bees die out, many non-cultivated plants might be threatened too – of which bloom-filled grasslands and attractive orchid varieties are just a few examples.”
Fifteen types of bumblebee types, which perform a vital function in aiding the pollination of legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bee types, famous for aiding tree pollination such as willows along with red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee found only in the mainland and the sole species of this biological genus in Europe, is now evaluated as critically endangered – the scientific classification nearest to extinction in the wild.
Butterflies that are exclusively located on high-altitude areas are highly susceptible to global warming as they have to climb upward as their environments become warmer but ultimately have no room left. In the southern part of Spain, the Nevada grayling and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among over forty percent of types unique to Europe (exclusive to Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, species such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling are threatened by extreme wildfires and drought.
Meanwhile, in the Far North, global warming is causing the forest boundary to advance northwards by many meters each year, with scrub taking over wetlands and tundra. Hotter climates also mean reindeer can no more cross the ice to graze northern grasslands and maintain them clear. 8 butterfly varieties are facing extinction in this area, including Freyja’s fritillary and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The largest habitat for all these pollinating species is grassland rich in flowers and that is declining quickly throughout the European continent because of all these reasons,” said Martin Warren. “The encouraging aspect is that so many individuals care now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all participating nations have to reverse the drop in pollinators by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are land holders who are engaged. We hope they can obtain the motivations that will support them on their way.”
According to Warren, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of action for pollinating species which won’t reduce food production – and may enhance it – such as growers establishing bloom-filled edges around their cultivated areas.
EU commissioner for environment, characterized the protection status of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “severe”.
“Urgent and collective action is necessary to confront this danger. Along with member states, the Commission of the European Union has put in place an Europe-wide tracking system for pollinators based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will assist in monitoring our development. Now, we need to concentrate on implementation and collaboration with participating nations to preserve our pollinating insects,” she said.
The publication of the bee and butterfly assessments comes after the pioneering Europe-wide study on hoverflies, an additional crucial group of pollinators. Published in 2022, it disclosed that over one-third of all hoverfly species in European nations were at risk of extinction.
