The number of native bee species in the European continent facing extinction has increased twofold during the previous ten-year period, while the number of endangered butterfly types has close to doubled.
This critical situation for crucial pollinators was disclosed by scientific assessments for the IUCN red list, which established that at least one hundred seventy-two bee species out of 1,928 were facing extinction in the European continent.
The count of butterfly species threatened with extinction in the European continent has risen from over thirty-five to over sixty since the previous assessment, carried out over a decade past. A single species, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
“Beyond their beauty and cultural significance, pollinating species like bees and butterfly species are crucial elements for our health, our food systems and our financial structures – sustaining the fruits, veggies and seeds that feed us,” commented the IUCN director general. “The most recent European red list evaluations reveal significant difficulties, with threats increasing for butterflies and essential wild bee varieties.”
The reasons of the rapid recent declines are the ongoing harm or degradation of natural habitats caused by farming intensification and deserted farmland, draining wetlands, excessive grazing by animals, and the utilization of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoid chemicals. The division of pollinator-friendly habitat greatly increases the threat of local extinctions.
Climate change is also demonstrated to be a significant danger: 52% of all threatened butterfly species in the European continent are endangered by the climate emergency – approximately twofold the amount as a previous decade.
As many as nine out of ten of blooming plants in Europe require animal pollination, as stated by Dr Denis Michez. “Regrettably, native bee populations are in severe drop and cannot readily be substituted by domesticated hives,” he said. “If wild bees disappear, many non-cultivated plants might be in danger as well – of which meadows rich in flowers and attractive orchid varieties are just a couple of instances.”
Fifteen species of bumblebee types, which play a crucial role in pollinating peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bee types, recognized for aiding tree pollination such as willow trees and red maples, are now classified as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee unique to the European continent and the sole species of this biological genus in the European continent, is now classified as critically endangered – the research category closest to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterflies that are only found on mountain peaks are highly susceptible to climate change as they have to climb upward as their habitats become more heated but ultimately run out of space. In the southern part of Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among above 40 percent of species endemic to Europe (exclusive to Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean, types such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling butterfly are imperilled by intense wildfires and drought.
Meanwhile, in the Far North, global warming is resulting in the tree line to move north by tens of metres each year, with scrub invading marsh and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean Arctic deer can not anymore cross the ice sheets to graze Arctic grasslands and maintain them clear. Eight types of butterflies are facing extinction in this zone, including Freyja’s fritillary and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The largest living space for all these pollinators is flower-rich grassland and that is disappearing very fast in European nations because of all these elements,” remarked Martin Warren. “The good news is that so many individuals are aware now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all participating nations have to halt the drop in pollinating insects by the year 2030, and they are going to have to begin taking action. There are landowners who are interested. It is hoped they can receive the encouragements that will help them on their way.”
As per Warren, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of measures for pollinating species which will not decrease agricultural output – and could improve it – such as agricultural producers developing flower-rich margins around their fields.
the EU’s environment commissioner, characterized the preservation condition of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “severe”.
“Urgent and collective action is required to address this risk. In collaboration with participating nations, the EU Commission has established an Europe-wide observation system for pollinators based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will aid in following our development. Now, we need to concentrate on execution and cooperation with member countries to protect our pollinators,” she said.
The release of the assessments on bees and butterflies is subsequent to the initial Europe-wide study on hoverflies, an additional vital pollinator group. Published in 2022, it revealed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly types in Europe were at risk of extinction.
