The total of non-managed bee species in European nations experiencing dying out has increased twofold during the previous ten-year period, whereas the number of threatened butterfly species has almost doubled.
This critical situation for essential pollinating species was disclosed by scientific assessments for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, which established that at least 172 bee varieties out of over 1900 were facing extinction in the European continent.
The total of butterfly species at risk of extinction in European nations has grown from over thirty-five to over sixty since the last study, performed 14 years ago. A single species, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
“Beyond their visual charm and cultural importance, pollinating species like bees and butterflies are lifelines for our well-being, our food supplies and our economies – maintaining the fruits, veggies and seeds that sustain us,” said the IUCN’s director general. “The newest assessments of the European red list reveal serious challenges, with dangers mounting for butterfly types and crucial non-managed bee varieties.”
The causes of the swift recent drops are the persistent damage or destruction of natural habitats caused by farming intensification and deserted farmland, draining of wetlands, excessive grazing by animals, and the application of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid chemicals. The division of habitat friendly to pollinators substantially boosts the risk of disappearances in specific areas.
Global warming is also shown to be a significant danger: Fifty-two percent of all threatened butterfly species in the European continent are imperilled by the climate crisis – roughly twofold the amount as a previous decade.
Nearly ninety percent of blooming plants in Europe depend on pollination by animals, as per the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Sadly, non-managed bee populations are in severe drop and are not easily replaceable by managed colonies,” he said. “If wild bees vanish, many wild plants might be at risk too – of which bloom-filled grasslands and attractive orchid varieties are just a few examples.”
15 varieties of bumblebees, which perform a vital function in aiding the pollination of peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bee types, known for fertilizing trees such as willows and red maples, are now classified as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee exclusive to the European continent and the only species of this genus group in Europe, is now assessed as severely threatened – the scientific classification most akin to extinction in the wild.
Butterfly species that are exclusively located on high-altitude areas are highly susceptible to global heating as they need to move uphill as their living spaces become warmer but in the end have no room left. In southern Spain, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among over forty percent of species endemic to Europe (exclusive to Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, species such as the critically endangered Karpathos grayling butterfly are endangered by extreme dry conditions and fires.
In the meantime, in the Far North, global heating is causing the timberline to advance northwards by many meters each year, with scrub invading marsh and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean Arctic deer can no longer cross the ice to feed on Arctic grasslands and prevent them from overgrowing. Eight types of butterflies are facing extinction in this region, including Freyja’s fritillary and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The biggest habitat for all these pollinators is flower-rich grassland and that is vanishing rapidly in European nations because of all these reasons,” remarked one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The encouraging aspect is that so many individuals are aware now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the European Union nature restoration law, all participating nations have to reverse the decline in pollinating insects by the year 2030, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are property owners who are engaged. Let’s hope they can get the incentives that will support them on their way.”
As stated by Martin Warren, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of steps for pollinating species which will not decrease crop yields – and may enhance it – such as growers developing bloom-filled edges around their fields.
EU commissioner for environment, portrayed the preservation condition of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “dire”.
“Immediate and joint measures is required to address this danger. In collaboration with member countries, the Commission of the European Union has put in place an European Union-wide observation system for pollinators based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will aid in following our progress. Now, we need to concentrate on execution and collaboration with member countries to protect our pollinators,” she said.
The release of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies comes after the first Europe-wide evaluation of hoverflies, another vital pollinator group. Published in twenty-twenty-two, it disclosed that over one-third of all hoverfly varieties in the European continent were threatened with extinction.
