The count of wild bee types in the European continent experiencing disappearance has over doubled over the past decade, whereas the count of threatened butterfly has nearly doubled.
This dire scenario for vital pollinators was revealed by research studies for the red list of threatened species, which established that at least 172 bee types out of over 1900 were at risk of extinction in Europe.
The total of butterfly species threatened with extinction in the European continent has increased from over thirty-five to over sixty since the previous assessment, conducted 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 significance, pollinating insects like bees and butterflies are crucial elements for our physical condition, our food systems and our financial structures – supporting the fruits, veggies and seeds that sustain us,” said the IUCN’s director general. “The newest European red list evaluations reveal major obstacles, with dangers mounting for butterflies and crucial non-managed bee species.”
The causes of the quick recent decreases are the continuing damage or destruction of natural habitats caused by agricultural intensification and abandoned land, wetland drainage, overgrazing by livestock, and the utilization of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoids. The breaking up of habitat friendly to pollinators significantly raises the risk of extinctions at local level.
Global heating is also revealed to be a major threat: Over half of all endangered butterflies in Europe are endangered by the climate change crisis – about double the number as a ten years ago.
Nearly nine out of ten of plants that flower in European nations depend on insect pollination, according to the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Unfortunately, non-managed bee populations are in drastic decline and cannot readily be substituted by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If native bees die out, many native plants might be threatened too – of which flower-rich meadows and attractive orchid varieties are just a few examples.”
Fifteen species of bumblebee species, which perform a vital function in aiding the pollination of crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bees, known for pollinating trees such as willows along with red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species exclusive to the mainland and the single type of this genus in European nations, is now evaluated as critically at risk – the research category most akin to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterfly species that are only found on high-altitude areas are particularly vulnerable to global warming as they must ascend higher as their habitats become more heated but ultimately exhaust available space. In southern Spain, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among over forty percent of species endemic to Europe (only found in Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean, types such as the critically endangered grayling of Karpathos are imperilled by extreme wildfires and drought.
At the same time, in the Far North, global warming is causing the tree line to move north by many meters each year, with scrub encroaching on marsh and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean Arctic deer can no longer cross the frozen water to browse Arctic meadows and keep them open. Eight butterfly species are threatened with extinction in this zone, including the fritillary of Freyja and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The largest environment for all these pollinating insects is grassland rich in flowers and that is vanishing rapidly across European nations because of all these reasons,” said one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The encouraging aspect is that so many citizens are concerned now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the European Union nature restoration law, all member countries have to halt the decrease in pollinating insects by 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are land holders who are interested. It is hoped they can get the incentives that will support them on their way.”
According to Martin Warren, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of steps for pollinators which won’t reduce agricultural output – and may enhance it – such as agricultural producers establishing flower-rich margins around their farmland.
the EU’s environment commissioner, characterized the preservation condition of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “dire”.
“Urgent and collective action is required to tackle this risk. In collaboration with participating nations, the EU Commission has implemented an Europe-wide observation system for pollinating species based on the EU nature restoration law, which will assist in monitoring our progress. Now, we need to prioritize implementation and collaboration with member countries to protect our pollinating insects,” she said.
The publication of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies follows the pioneering Europe-wide study on hoverflies, a further vital group of pollinators. Released in twenty-twenty-two, it revealed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly types in the European continent were facing extinction.
