The total of wild bee species in European nations facing extinction has increased twofold in the last ten years, whereas the count of threatened butterfly types has nearly doubled.
This critical situation for essential pollinating insects was disclosed by research studies for the red list of threatened species, which determined that at least 172 bee species out of 1,928 were at risk of extinction in European nations.
The number of butterfly types facing extinction in the European continent has increased from over thirty-five to sixty-five since the previous assessment, performed 14 years ago. One species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been declared extinct.
In addition to their beauty and cultural value, pollinating insects like bees along with butterflies are lifelines for our well-being, our food systems and our financial structures – sustaining the fruits, veggies and seeds that nourish us,” commented the IUCN’s director general. “The newest assessments of the European red list reveal major obstacles, with dangers growing for butterfly types and crucial wild bee types.”
The causes of the quick recent decreases are the continuing destruction or damage of habitats caused by farming intensification and abandoned land, draining wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the application of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoid chemicals. The division of environments suitable for pollinators substantially boosts the risk of extinctions at local level.
Global heating is also revealed to be a primary risk: Fifty-two percent of all threatened butterflies in European nations are imperilled by the climate emergency – approximately twice as many as a ten years ago.
As many as 90% of flowering plants in the European continent depend on pollination by animals, as per Dr Denis Michez. “Sadly, non-managed bee groups are in severe drop and are not easily replaceable by managed colonies,” he said. “If native bees die out, many wild plants might be threatened too – of which bloom-filled grasslands and attractive orchid varieties are just a few examples.”
Fifteen types of bumblebees, which perform a vital function in fertilizing crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bee types, recognized for fertilizing trees such as willows along with red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee exclusive to the European continent and the only species of this genus in European nations, is now evaluated as critically at risk – the scientific classification closest to disappearance in the wild.
Butterflies that are solely present on mountain tops are particularly vulnerable to climate change as they need to move uphill as their living spaces become hotter but in the end exhaust available space. In the southern part of Spain, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among more than 40% of types unique to Europe (exclusive to Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean, types such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling are threatened by severe dry conditions and fires.
In the meantime, in the Arctic Circle, climate change is causing the timberline to advance northwards by many meters each year, with bushes taking over bog and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean Arctic deer can no longer cross the ice to feed on northern grasslands and maintain them clear. 8 butterfly varieties are threatened with extinction in this zone, including Freyja’s fritillary and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The biggest living space for all these pollinators is grassland rich in flowers and that is declining quickly in the European continent because of all these elements,” stated one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The good news is that so many people care now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all member countries have to reverse the decrease in pollinators by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to begin taking action. There are landowners who are engaged. We hope they can receive the incentives that will support them on their way.”
According to Martin Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of measures for pollinating species which will not decrease agricultural output – and might boost it – such as growers developing bloom-filled edges around their fields.
EU commissioner for environment, described the conservation status of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “severe”.
“Prompt and unified steps is required to tackle this risk. Along with member countries, the European Commission has implemented an EU-wide monitoring system for pollinating species based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will aid in following our progress. Now, we need to focus on application and cooperation with member countries to protect our pollinating insects,” she said.
The release of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies is subsequent to the initial EU-wide evaluation of hoverflies, an additional vital pollinator group. Published in 2022, it revealed that over one-third of all hoverfly varieties in the European continent were threatened with extinction.
