The count of non-managed bee types in Europe confronting dying out has over doubled in the last ten years, whereas the count of threatened butterfly types has close to doubled.
This critical situation for essential pollinating insects was unveiled by research studies for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, which established that at least over 170 bee varieties out of over 1900 were threatened with extinction in the European continent.
The total of butterfly species facing extinction in Europe has grown from over thirty-five to sixty-five since the previous assessment, performed 14 years ago. A single species, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
“Beyond their beauty and cultural importance, pollinating species like bees and butterfly species are lifelines for our health, our food systems and our economies – supporting the fruits, vegetables and seeds that nourish us,” stated the IUCN director general. “The newest European red list assessments reveal significant difficulties, with dangers growing for butterfly species and crucial wild bee species.”
The reasons of the quick recent decreases are the continuing harm or degradation of natural habitats caused by farming intensification and deserted farmland, draining of wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the utilization of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoid pesticides. The fragmentation of habitat friendly to pollinators greatly increases the risk of disappearances in specific areas.
Global heating is also demonstrated to be a primary risk: Fifty-two percent of all threatened butterfly species in Europe are endangered by the climate crisis – about twice as many as a previous decade.
As many as nine out of ten of plants that flower in the European continent depend on pollination by animals, as stated by the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Regrettably, wild bee populations are in drastic decline and cannot readily be substituted by managed colonies,” he said. “If wild bees die out, many wild plants might be at risk too – of which meadows rich in flowers and lovely orchid types are just a few examples.”
15 varieties of bumblebees, which have an essential part in fertilizing peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bee species, recognized 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 mainland and the only species of this genus in Europe, is now evaluated as critically endangered – the scientific classification closest to extinction in the wild.
Butterflies that are only found on mountain peaks are particularly vulnerable to climate change as they need to move uphill as their environments become more heated but ultimately exhaust available space. In southern Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among over forty percent of European endemics (only found in Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, species such as the severely threatened Karpathos grayling butterfly are endangered by extreme drought and wildfires.
In the meantime, in the Arctic Circle, global heating is leading to the timberline to advance northwards by dozens of meters each year, with scrub taking over marsh and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean Arctic deer can no more cross the ice to feed on northern grasslands and keep them open. 8 butterfly varieties are threatened with extinction in this area, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The greatest living space for all these pollinating insects is grassland rich in flowers and that is vanishing rapidly in the European continent because of all these reasons,” said Martin Warren. “The good news is that so many individuals care now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the European Union nature restoration law, all participating nations have to turn around the decrease in pollinators by the year 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are landowners who are interested. It is hoped they can receive the motivations that will assist them on their way.”
As stated by Martin Warren, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of measures for pollinators which will not lower agricultural output – and may enhance it – such as farmers developing flower-rich margins around their fields.
Jessika Roswall, described the conservation status of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “dire”.
“Urgent and collective action is needed to tackle this threat. Along with member countries, the European Commission has implemented an EU-wide monitoring system for pollinating insects based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will assist in monitoring our development. Now, we need to concentrate on execution and cooperation with member states to preserve our pollinating insects,” she said.
The release of the bee and butterfly assessments follows the pioneering Europe-wide assessment of hoverflies, an additional vital pollinator group. Published in 2022, it showed that 37% of all hoverfly types in the European continent were threatened with extinction.
