The total of wild bee species in Europe experiencing disappearance has over doubled during the previous ten-year period, while the total of threatened butterfly has almost doubled.
This pressing issue for essential pollinating insects was revealed by scientific studies for the IUCN red list, which established that at least over 170 bee varieties out of nearly two thousand were threatened with extinction in Europe.
The number of butterflies threatened with extinction in Europe has increased from 37 to sixty-five since the last study, carried out over a decade past. One species, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been declared extinct.
In addition to their aesthetic appeal and cultural value, pollinating species like bees and butterfly species are crucial elements for our physical condition, our food systems and our financial structures – supporting the produce, vegetables and seeds that sustain us,” said Grethel Aguilar. “The newest assessments of the European red list reveal major obstacles, with threats growing for butterflies and vital wild bee species.”
The factors of the rapid recent declines are the persistent damage or destruction of natural habitats caused by intensive agriculture and deserted farmland, draining of wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the application of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoid chemicals. The division of pollinator-friendly habitat significantly raises the threat of local extinctions.
Climate change is also demonstrated to be a significant danger: 52% of all threatened butterfly species in Europe are threatened by the climate crisis – roughly twofold the amount as a previous decade.
Up to nine out of ten of plants that flower in the European continent require insect pollination, according to Dr Denis Michez. “Sadly, wild bee populations are in drastic decline and cannot readily be substituted by domesticated hives,” he said. “If non-managed bees die out, many native plants might be threatened too – of which bloom-filled grasslands and beautiful orchid species are just a handful of illustrations.”
15 varieties of bumblebee species, which have an essential part in aiding the pollination of crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bee species, famous for fertilizing trees such as willows along with red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species found only in the mainland and the sole species of this genus in Europe, is now classified as severely threatened – the scientific category most akin to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterflies that are only found on mountain peaks are highly susceptible to global warming as they need to move uphill as their environments become warmer but in the end run out of space. In the southern part of Spain, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among above 40 percent of types unique to Europe (solely present in Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, types such as the severely threatened grayling of Karpathos are imperilled by intense wildfires and drought.
In the meantime, in the Arctic region, global heating is resulting in the forest boundary to move north by many meters each year, with scrub invading wetlands and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean Arctic deer can no longer cross the ice sheets to browse Arctic meadows and keep them open. Eight types of butterflies are threatened with extinction in this region, including the fritillary of Freyja and the Arctic ringlet.
“The biggest habitat for all these pollinating species is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is vanishing rapidly across Europe because of all these factors,” remarked a lead coordinator for the butterfly assessment. “The encouraging aspect is that so many citizens care now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all participating nations have to halt the decrease in pollinating species by the year 2030, and they are going to have to begin taking action. There are property owners who are involved. Let’s hope they can obtain the incentives that will support them on their way.”
As per the coordinator, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of action for pollinating species which will not decrease crop yields – and might boost it – such as agricultural producers creating flower-rich margins around their fields.
the EU’s environment commissioner, portrayed the conservation status of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “severe”.
“Urgent and collective action is needed to confront this danger. Along with member countries, the European Commission has put in place an EU-wide tracking system for pollinating species based on the EU nature restoration law, which will aid in following our advancement. Now, we need to focus on application and collaboration with member countries to protect our pollinators,” she said.
The issuance of the bee and butterfly assessments comes after the initial European-wide study on hoverflies, another essential group of pollinators. Published in 2022, it disclosed that 37% of all hoverfly species in European nations were threatened with extinction.
