The number of wild bee species in European nations experiencing dying out has over doubled in the last ten years, and the number of at-risk butterfly has nearly doubled.
This dire scenario for crucial pollinators was revealed by scientific studies for the IUCN red list, which determined that at least one hundred seventy-two bee varieties out of 1,928 were at risk of extinction in Europe.
The count of butterflies threatened with extinction in Europe has risen from thirty-seven to over sixty since the earlier research, conducted a decade and a half ago. A single species, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
In addition to their visual charm and cultural significance, pollinating insects like bees and butterflies are lifelines for our well-being, our food systems and our economic systems – maintaining the produce, vegetables and seeds that sustain us,” stated Grethel Aguilar. “The most recent European red list assessments reveal major obstacles, with risks mounting for butterflies and crucial wild bee types.”
The factors of the quick recent decreases are the ongoing damage or destruction of living environments caused by intensive agriculture and deserted farmland, draining wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the application of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid chemicals. The fragmentation of environments suitable for pollinators substantially boosts the risk of extinctions at local level.
Global heating is also revealed to be a primary risk: Fifty-two percent of all at-risk butterfly types in Europe are endangered by the climate crisis – about twofold the amount as a previous decade.
Up to ninety percent of flowering plants in the European continent rely on pollination by animals, according to Dr Denis Michez. “Unfortunately, native bee groups are in severe drop and cannot readily be substituted by managed colonies,” he said. “If native bees disappear, many native plants might be in danger as well – of which meadows rich in flowers and lovely orchid types are just a couple of instances.”
Fifteen species of bumblebees, which perform a vital function in fertilizing crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bee types, famous for aiding tree pollination such as willows and red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species exclusive to the European continent and the single type of this genus in Europe, is now classified as severely threatened – the research category closest to extinction in the wild.
Butterfly types that are solely present on mountain peaks are especially at risk to climate change as they have to climb upward as their living spaces become hotter but in the end run out of space. In Spain’s southern region, the Nevada grayling and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among more than 40% of European endemics (exclusive to Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, types such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling are threatened by severe dry conditions and fires.
At the same time, in the Arctic region, climate change is leading to the tree line to move north by dozens of meters each year, with bushes encroaching on marsh and tundra. Hotter climates also mean Arctic deer can no more cross the frozen water to feed on Arctic meadows and maintain them clear. Eight types of butterflies are at risk of extinction in this area, including Freyja’s fritillary and the Arctic ringlet.
“The largest environment for all these pollinating insects is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is declining quickly throughout Europe because of all these factors,” said a lead coordinator for the butterfly assessment. “The encouraging aspect is that so many citizens care now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member states have to halt the decline in pollinating insects by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are property owners who are engaged. Let’s hope they can obtain the motivations that will support them on their way.”
As per the coordinator, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of steps for pollinating insects which will not decrease agricultural output – and might boost it – such as farmers establishing bloom-filled edges around their farmland.
Jessika Roswall, portrayed the protection status of non-managed bees, butterfly species and other pollinating insects as “dire”.
“Immediate and joint measures is necessary to tackle this threat. Along with participating nations, the European Commission has put in place an European Union-wide monitoring system for pollinators based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will aid in following our development. Now, we need to focus on implementation and cooperation with participating nations to protect our pollinating insects,” she said.
The publication of the bee and butterfly assessments is subsequent to the initial EU-wide study on hoverflies, a further vital group of pollinators. Issued in 2022, it disclosed that over one-third of all hoverfly types in the European continent were threatened with extinction.
