The count of wild bee types in European nations experiencing extinction has more than doubled during the previous ten-year period, and the total of endangered butterfly has nearly doubled.
This dire scenario for essential pollinating species was revealed by research studies for the red list of threatened species, which established that at least over 170 bee species out of nearly two thousand were at risk of extinction in the European continent.
The number of butterflies at risk of extinction in European nations has grown from thirty-seven to over sixty since the earlier research, carried out over a decade past. One type, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
“Beyond their visual charm and cultural importance, pollinators like bees and butterfly species are essential supports for our health, our food systems and our financial structures – supporting the fruits, vegetables and seeds that nourish us,” commented the IUCN’s director general. “The latest European red list evaluations reveal significant difficulties, with threats increasing for butterfly types and essential native bee species.”
The factors of the quick recent decreases are the continuing damage or destruction of living environments caused by farming intensification and deserted farmland, draining wetlands, excessive grazing by animals, and the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid pesticides. The breaking up of environments suitable for pollinators significantly raises the danger of local extinctions.
Global heating is also shown to be a primary risk: Over half of all threatened butterfly species in European nations are endangered by the climate change crisis – roughly twice as many as a previous decade.
Nearly ninety percent of plants that flower in the European continent require insect pollination, as per the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Regrettably, non-managed bee groups are in drastic decline and cannot readily be substituted by domesticated hives,” he said. “If wild bees disappear, many native plants might be in danger as well – of which bloom-filled grasslands and attractive orchid varieties are just a couple of instances.”
Fifteen species of bumblebee types, which have an essential part in pollinating legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bee types, famous for fertilizing trees such as willows along with red maples, are now classified as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species found only in the European continent and the single type of this biological genus in Europe, is now evaluated as critically endangered – the scientific classification closest to extinction in the wild.
Butterflies that are solely present on mountain peaks are highly susceptible to climate change as they have to climb upward as their living spaces become more heated but eventually exhaust available space. In southern Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among above 40 percent of types unique to Europe (only found in Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, species such as the highly at-risk grayling of Karpathos are threatened by extreme dry conditions and fires.
At the same time, in the Arctic region, global warming is leading to the timberline to move north by many meters each year, with underbrush encroaching on marsh and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean Arctic deer can no longer cross the frozen water to feed on northern grasslands and prevent them from overgrowing. 8 butterfly varieties are threatened with extinction in this zone, including the fritillary of Freyja and the Arctic ringlet.
“The greatest living space for all these pollinating species is flower-rich grassland and that is vanishing rapidly throughout European nations because of all these factors,” remarked one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The encouraging aspect is that so many people are concerned now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member countries have to halt the decrease in pollinating species by the year 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are landowners who are interested. Let’s hope they can obtain the incentives that will assist them on their way.”
As per the coordinator, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of action for pollinating species which won’t reduce agricultural output – and could improve it – such as farmers developing margins rich in flowers around their fields.
EU commissioner for environment, characterized the protection status of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “critical”.
“Urgent and collective action is required to confront this danger. In collaboration with participating nations, the European Commission has implemented an Europe-wide monitoring system for pollinators based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will help to track our progress. Now, we need to focus on application and partnership with participating nations to preserve our pollinating species,” she said.
The issuance of the bee and butterfly assessments is subsequent to the pioneering Europe-wide study on hoverflies, another crucial pollinator group. Released in 2022, it showed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly types in European nations were at risk of extinction.
