The count of wild bee varieties in Europe experiencing extinction has increased twofold in the last ten years, and the count of endangered butterfly has almost doubled.
This critical situation for crucial pollinating insects was unveiled by scientific assessments for the IUCN red list, which established that at least over 170 bee types out of over 1900 were threatened with extinction in the European continent.
The total of butterflies at risk of extinction in the European continent has increased from 37 to over sixty since the last study, performed a decade and a half ago. A single species, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
In addition to their beauty and cultural importance, pollinating species like bees and butterfly species are essential supports for our well-being, our food chains and our economies – supporting the fruits, veggies and seeds that sustain us,” commented Grethel Aguilar. “The most recent European red list assessments reveal serious challenges, with threats increasing for butterfly species and crucial native bee varieties.”
The reasons of the swift recent drops are the ongoing damage or destruction of natural habitats caused by farming intensification and abandoned land, draining wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the utilization of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoids. The fragmentation of pollinator-friendly habitat substantially boosts the danger of local extinctions.
Climate change is also revealed to be a major threat: Over half of all at-risk butterfly types in the European continent are imperilled by the climate emergency – roughly twice as many as a previous decade.
As many as ninety percent of plants that flower in Europe rely on insect pollination, as per Dr Denis Michez. “Sadly, non-managed bee colonies are in sharp decrease and are not easily replaceable by managed colonies,” he said. “If wild bees die out, many wild plants might be in danger as well – of which bloom-filled grasslands and lovely orchid types are just a few examples.”
15 varieties of bumblebees, which have an essential part in fertilizing peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bee species, recognized for pollinating trees such as willow trees and red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee exclusive to the European continent and the sole species of this biological genus in European nations, is now evaluated as critically endangered – the scientific category most akin to disappearance in the wild.
Butterflies that are solely present on high-altitude areas are highly susceptible to global heating as they need to move uphill as their environments become more heated but ultimately run out of space. In Spain’s southern region, the grayling of Nevada and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among over forty percent of types unique to Europe (exclusive to Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, types such as the severely threatened Karpathos grayling are imperilled by extreme drought and wildfires.
At the same time, in the Arctic Circle, global heating is causing the tree line to shift northward by dozens of meters each year, with scrub invading bog and tundra. Hotter climates also mean reindeer can not anymore cross the ice sheets to browse Arctic meadows 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 habitat for all these pollinating insects is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is declining quickly across the European continent because of all these factors,” stated a lead coordinator for the butterfly assessment. “The encouraging aspect is that so many individuals are aware now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all member states have to turn around the decrease in pollinators by 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are land holders who are interested. We hope they can get the encouragements that will assist them on their way.”
According to Warren, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of steps for pollinators which will not decrease agricultural output – and might boost it – such as growers developing margins rich in flowers around their fields.
Jessika Roswall, characterized the protection status of non-managed bees, butterfly species and other pollinating insects as “severe”.
“Urgent and collective action is needed to confront this threat. Together with member countries, the European Commission has put in place an European Union-wide tracking system for pollinators based on the EU nature restoration law, which will aid in following our progress. Now, we need to prioritize execution and partnership with participating nations to preserve our pollinating insects,” she said.
The release of the bee and butterfly assessments follows the first EU-wide evaluation of hoverflies, another crucial pollinating insect category. Issued in twenty-twenty-two, it showed that over one-third of all hoverfly species in European nations were threatened with extinction.
