The total of native bee species in European nations experiencing extinction has more than doubled during the previous ten-year period, while the count of endangered butterfly types has nearly doubled.
This pressing issue for crucial pollinating insects was revealed by scientific assessments for the red list of threatened species, which determined that at least one hundred seventy-two bee types out of nearly two thousand were facing extinction in the European continent.
The total of butterflies at risk of extinction in Europe has risen from over thirty-five to 65 since the last study, performed over a decade past. One type, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
In addition to their beauty and cultural value, pollinating species like bees and butterfly species are crucial elements for our health, our food supplies and our economies – sustaining the fruits, vegetables and seeds that nourish us,” commented Grethel Aguilar. “The most recent European red list assessments reveal major obstacles, with dangers growing for butterfly species and essential native bee species.”
The causes of the rapid recent declines are the persistent destruction or damage of natural habitats caused by intensive agriculture and abandoned land, draining of wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the utilization of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoids. The breaking up of pollinator-friendly habitat substantially boosts the danger of extinctions at local level.
Climate change is also demonstrated to be a major threat: 52% of all at-risk butterflies in the European continent are endangered by the climate crisis – about double the number as a ten years ago.
Nearly nine out of ten of plants that flower in European nations require insect pollination, as stated by Dr Denis Michez. “Unfortunately, non-managed bee colonies are in severe drop and are not easily replaceable by domesticated hives,” he said. “If wild bees vanish, many native plants might be threatened too – of which meadows rich in flowers and attractive orchid varieties are just a handful of illustrations.”
15 varieties of bumblebee types, which play a crucial role in fertilizing crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bees, famous for pollinating trees such as willow trees and red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species exclusive to the mainland and the single type of this genus group in European nations, is now classified as severely threatened – the research category nearest to extinction in the wild.
Butterflies that are exclusively located on high-altitude areas are particularly vulnerable to global heating as they have to climb upward as their environments become warmer but in the end have no room left. In the southern part of 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) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, types such as the severely threatened Karpathos grayling are endangered by severe dry conditions and fires.
Meanwhile, in the Far North, global heating is leading to the tree line to advance northwards by many meters each year, with bushes encroaching on bog and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean caribou can not anymore cross the frozen water to graze Arctic grasslands and keep them open. Eight types of butterflies are threatened with extinction in this region, including Freyja’s fritillary and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The largest environment for all these pollinating insects is grassland rich in flowers and that is vanishing rapidly across the European continent because of all these reasons,” said one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The positive thing is that so many people care now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the European Union nature restoration law, all member states have to reverse the drop in pollinators by 2030, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are landowners who are interested. We hope they can obtain the motivations that will support them on their way.”
According to the coordinator, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of measures for pollinating insects which won’t reduce food production – and may enhance it – such as farmers creating margins rich in flowers around their cultivated areas.
EU commissioner for environment, described the protection status of non-managed bees, butterfly species and other pollinating insects as “dire”.
“Immediate and joint measures is required to confront this threat. Together with member countries, the Commission of the European Union has implemented an Europe-wide observation system for pollinating species based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will help to track our advancement. Now, we need to concentrate on application and collaboration with member states to protect our pollinating insects,” she said.
The issuance of the bee and butterfly assessments is subsequent to the pioneering European-wide evaluation of hoverflies, a further essential pollinator group. Issued in twenty-twenty-two, it showed that 37% of all hoverfly types in European nations were threatened with extinction.
