The total of non-managed bee varieties in the European continent experiencing dying out has increased twofold in the last ten years, whereas the total of endangered butterfly has nearly doubled.
This dire scenario for essential pollinating insects was disclosed by scientific assessments for the IUCN red list, which determined that at least 172 bee varieties out of nearly two thousand were at risk of extinction in Europe.
The number of butterfly species facing extinction in European nations has increased from thirty-seven to sixty-five since the earlier research, performed 14 years ago. One species, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
Apart from their beauty and cultural significance, pollinating insects like bees and butterfly species are lifelines for our well-being, our food chains and our financial structures – maintaining the fruits, vegetables and seeds that feed us,” said Grethel Aguilar. “The newest European red list evaluations reveal major obstacles, with threats growing for butterflies and crucial non-managed bee types.”
The causes of the swift recent drops are the continuing destruction or damage of living environments caused by agricultural intensification and deserted farmland, draining wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the application of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid pesticides. The breaking up of pollinator-friendly habitat substantially boosts the threat of local extinctions.
Climate change is also revealed to be a significant danger: Fifty-two percent of all at-risk butterflies in the European continent are imperilled by the climate crisis – roughly twice as many as a decade ago.
Nearly nine out of ten of plants that flower in Europe rely on insect pollination, as per Dr Denis Michez. “Unfortunately, wild bee groups are in severe drop and are not easily replaceable by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If wild bees die out, many non-cultivated plants might be in danger as well – of which bloom-filled grasslands and attractive orchid varieties are just a few examples.”
15 varieties of bumblebee types, which perform a vital function in fertilizing legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bee species, recognized for aiding tree pollination such as willow trees and red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species found only in the continent and the sole species of this genus in Europe, is now assessed as critically endangered – the scientific classification closest to disappearance in the wild.
Butterflies that are exclusively located on mountain peaks are particularly vulnerable to global heating as they need to move uphill as their living spaces become hotter but eventually exhaust available space. In the southern part of Spain, the Nevada grayling and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among over forty percent of European endemics (only found in Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, types such as the critically endangered grayling of Karpathos are threatened by intense wildfires and drought.
At the same time, in the Arctic Circle, global heating is causing the tree line to advance northwards by many meters each year, with scrub taking over bog and tundra. Hotter climates also mean Arctic deer can no more cross the frozen water to browse Arctic meadows and prevent them from overgrowing. 8 butterfly varieties are threatened with extinction in this area, including Freyja’s fritillary and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The largest living space for all these pollinating species is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is disappearing very fast across the European continent because of all these factors,” stated one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The positive thing is that so many people are aware now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the European Union nature restoration law, all member countries have to turn around the drop in pollinators by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are property owners who are engaged. It is hoped they can receive the encouragements that will assist them on their way.”
As per the coordinator, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of steps for pollinating insects which will not decrease crop yields – and might boost it – such as farmers creating bloom-filled edges around their cultivated areas.
Jessika Roswall, characterized the preservation condition of non-managed bees, butterfly species and other pollinating insects as “dire”.
“Immediate and joint measures is necessary to confront this risk. Along with member countries, the Commission of the European Union has implemented an European Union-wide monitoring system for pollinating species based on the EU nature restoration law, which will help to track our advancement. Now, we need to prioritize application and partnership with participating nations to protect our pollinating species,” she said.
The publication of the bee and butterfly assessments is subsequent to the pioneering European-wide evaluation of hoverflies, an additional vital pollinating insect category. Released in 2022, it revealed that 37% of all hoverfly species in Europe were threatened with extinction.
