The number of wild bee varieties in the European continent confronting dying out has more than doubled over the past decade, while the number of threatened butterfly species has almost doubled.
This pressing issue for vital pollinating species was revealed by scientific studies for the IUCN red list, which established that at least over 170 bee species out of over 1900 were at risk of extinction in European nations.
The total of butterflies facing extinction in Europe has grown from over thirty-five to over sixty since the previous assessment, conducted 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 visual charm and cultural value, pollinators like bees along with butterflies are essential supports for our physical condition, our food supplies and our financial structures – supporting the produce, vegetables and seeds that nourish us,” said Grethel Aguilar. “The latest assessments of the European red list reveal significant difficulties, with threats growing for butterflies and essential wild bee species.”
The factors of the rapid recent declines are the ongoing damage or destruction of habitats caused by agricultural intensification and land abandonment, draining of wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the utilization of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid pesticides. The breaking up of pollinator-friendly habitat greatly increases the threat of disappearances in specific areas.
Climate change is also shown to be a primary risk: 52% of all at-risk butterfly species in European nations are threatened by the climate change crisis – roughly twofold the amount as a previous decade.
As many as ninety percent of flowering plants in European nations require pollination by animals, according to the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Sadly, wild bee colonies are in drastic decline and cannot be easily replaced by domesticated hives,” he said. “If non-managed bees die out, many non-cultivated plants might be at risk too – of which meadows rich in flowers and beautiful orchid species are just a few examples.”
Fifteen types of bumblebee species, which play a crucial role in pollinating peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bee species, recognized for fertilizing trees such as willows along with red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type unique to the continent and the single type of this genus in the European continent, is now evaluated as severely threatened – the research category closest to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterfly types that are only found on mountain tops are highly susceptible to global warming as they have to climb upward as their habitats become hotter but in the end have no room left. In Spain’s southern region, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among above 40 percent of types unique to Europe (only found in Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, species such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling are endangered by extreme dry conditions and fires.
Meanwhile, in the Arctic Circle, global heating is resulting in the timberline to shift northward by many meters each year, with bushes invading marsh and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean reindeer can no more cross the frozen water to graze northern grasslands and keep them open. Eight types of butterflies are at risk of extinction in this region, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the Arctic ringlet.
“The greatest environment for all these pollinating species is grassland rich in flowers and that is declining quickly across the European continent because of all these elements,” said one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The positive thing is that so many citizens care now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member countries have to turn around the drop in pollinators by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to begin taking action. There are land holders who are involved. Let’s hope they can receive the encouragements that will support them on their way.”
As per the coordinator, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of action for pollinating insects which will not decrease crop yields – and might boost it – such as agricultural producers establishing margins rich in flowers around their cultivated areas.
Jessika Roswall, described the preservation condition of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “dire”.
“Immediate and joint measures is needed to confront this threat. In collaboration with participating nations, the Commission of the European Union has implemented an Europe-wide observation system for pollinators based on the EU nature restoration law, which will help to track our development. Now, we need to prioritize implementation and partnership with participating nations to safeguard our pollinators,” she said.
The release of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies is subsequent to the pioneering EU-wide study on hoverflies, another crucial group of pollinators. Issued in 2022, it revealed that over one-third of all hoverfly species in the European continent were threatened with extinction.
