The number of non-managed bee species in Europe facing extinction has more than doubled over the past decade, while the count of endangered butterfly species has close to doubled.
This pressing issue for vital pollinating insects was unveiled by research studies for the red list of threatened species, which established that at least one hundred seventy-two bee types out of over 1900 were threatened with extinction in European nations.
The number of butterfly species at risk of extinction in the European continent has grown from 37 to over sixty since the earlier research, carried out 14 years ago. One species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
In addition to their beauty and cultural value, pollinating insects like bees and butterfly species are crucial elements for our physical condition, our food chains and our economies – supporting the fruits, vegetables and seeds that feed us,” said Grethel Aguilar. “The most recent assessments of the European red list reveal serious challenges, with risks mounting for butterfly types and essential native bee varieties.”
The causes of the swift recent drops are the continuing harm or degradation of living environments caused by agricultural intensification and deserted farmland, draining wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the utilization of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid pesticides. The breaking up of habitat friendly to pollinators greatly increases the danger of disappearances in specific areas.
Climate change is also shown to be a primary risk: 52% of all endangered butterflies in Europe are threatened by the climate emergency – approximately double the number as a decade ago.
Nearly ninety percent of flowering plants in European nations depend on animal pollination, as stated by Dr Denis Michez. “Sadly, native bee colonies are in sharp decrease and are not easily replaceable by domesticated hives,” he said. “If native bees die out, many native plants might be threatened too – of which bloom-filled grasslands and beautiful orchid species are just a few examples.”
Fifteen types of bumblebee species, which have an essential part in pollinating crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bee species, known 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 mainland and the single type of this genus group in Europe, is now assessed as critically endangered – the scientific category nearest to extinction in the wild.
Butterfly types that are solely present on mountain peaks are particularly vulnerable to global heating as they need to move uphill as their living spaces become hotter but ultimately exhaust available space. In southern Spain, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among more than 40% of species endemic to Europe (only found in Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean, types such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling are threatened by intense wildfires and drought.
In the meantime, in the Arctic Circle, global heating is resulting in the timberline to shift northward by dozens of meters each year, with bushes encroaching on bog and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean caribou can no longer cross the frozen water to graze Arctic grasslands and keep them open. 8 butterfly varieties are facing extinction in this region, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The greatest living space for all these pollinating species is grassland rich in flowers and that is vanishing rapidly throughout Europe because of all these reasons,” said a lead coordinator for the butterfly assessment. “The good news is that so many individuals are concerned now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member countries have to turn around the decrease in pollinators by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to begin taking action. There are land holders who are engaged. We hope they can get the incentives that will assist them on their way.”
As per the coordinator, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of measures for pollinating species which will not lower food production – and might boost it – such as agricultural producers establishing flower-rich margins around their fields.
Jessika Roswall, portrayed the preservation condition of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “critical”.
“Prompt and unified steps is necessary to address this risk. Together with member states, the European Commission has implemented an Europe-wide observation system for pollinators based on the EU nature restoration law, which will help to track our advancement. Now, we need to focus on application and cooperation with member states to protect our pollinating insects,” she said.
The issuance of the assessments on bees and butterflies is subsequent to the first EU-wide assessment of hoverflies, a further essential pollinator group. Released in 2022, it revealed that over one-third of all hoverfly species in Europe were threatened with extinction.
