The count of non-managed bee varieties in the European continent experiencing dying out has more than doubled in the last ten years, while the count of threatened butterfly species has nearly doubled.
This pressing issue for essential pollinators was unveiled by scientific assessments for the IUCN red list, which established that at least over 170 bee species out of 1,928 were facing extinction in European nations.
The number of butterflies facing extinction in Europe has increased from over thirty-five to over sixty since the earlier research, performed over a decade past. One type, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
“Beyond their aesthetic appeal and cultural importance, pollinating species like bees and butterflies are lifelines for our health, our food systems and our economies – sustaining the produce, vegetables and seeds that nourish us,” stated the IUCN director general. “The newest assessments of the European red list reveal serious challenges, with dangers mounting for butterfly types and essential native bee types.”
The factors of the quick recent decreases are the ongoing harm or degradation of habitats caused by agricultural intensification and land abandonment, draining of wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the utilization of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoids. The division of pollinator-friendly habitat significantly raises the risk of local extinctions.
Climate change is also shown to be a significant danger: Fifty-two percent of all endangered butterfly species in European nations are endangered by the climate crisis – approximately double the number as a decade ago.
Up to 90% of blooming plants in European nations depend on pollination by animals, according to Dr Denis Michez. “Unfortunately, non-managed bee colonies are in drastic decline and cannot be easily replaced by managed colonies,” he said. “If native bees die out, many wild plants might be at risk too – of which bloom-filled grasslands and lovely orchid types are just a few examples.”
Fifteen species of bumblebees, which have an essential part in fertilizing legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types 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 exclusive to the European continent and the only species of this genus group in the European continent, is now evaluated as severely threatened – the scientific classification closest to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterflies that are only found on mountain tops are highly susceptible to global warming as they must ascend higher as their habitats become hotter but ultimately have no room left. In the southern part of Spain, the Nevada grayling and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among more than 40% of types unique to Europe (only found in Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, varieties such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling butterfly are endangered by intense drought and wildfires.
At the same time, in the Arctic Circle, global warming is resulting in the timberline to shift northward by many meters each year, with bushes encroaching on wetlands and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean Arctic deer can no more cross the ice sheets to browse northern grasslands and keep them open. 8 butterfly varieties are at risk of extinction in this region, including the fritillary of Freyja and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The largest environment for all these pollinators is flower-rich grassland and that is vanishing rapidly in European nations because of all these elements,” stated a lead coordinator for the butterfly assessment. “The positive thing is that so many people are concerned now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all member states have to halt the decrease in pollinating insects by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are landowners who are interested. We hope they can obtain the motivations that will help them on their way.”
As per the coordinator, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of steps for pollinators which won’t reduce food production – and might boost it – such as growers establishing flower-rich margins around their farmland.
EU commissioner for environment, characterized the protection status of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “critical”.
“Urgent and collective action is needed to address this risk. Together with member states, the Commission of the European Union has implemented an EU-wide tracking system for pollinators based on the EU nature restoration law, which will assist in monitoring our development. Now, we need to focus on application and partnership with participating nations to preserve our pollinating species,” she said.
The issuance of the assessments on bees and butterflies comes after the first EU-wide assessment of hoverflies, another crucial pollinating insect category. Published in 2022, it showed that 37% of all hoverfly types in European nations were threatened with extinction.
