The total of native bee varieties in the European continent facing extinction has more than doubled over the past decade, and the count of endangered butterfly species has close to doubled.
This pressing issue 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 172 bee species out of nearly two thousand were facing extinction in European nations.
The count of butterfly species threatened with extinction in Europe has risen from 37 to 65 since the last study, performed over a decade past. One species, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
“Beyond their visual charm and cultural value, pollinators like bees along with butterflies are lifelines for our well-being, our food chains and our economic systems – maintaining the fruits, veggies and seeds that feed us,” stated Grethel Aguilar. “The latest assessments of the European red list reveal major obstacles, with risks growing for butterfly species and crucial wild bee species.”
The causes of the swift recent drops are the continuing harm or degradation of habitats caused by intensive agriculture and land abandonment, draining of wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid chemicals. The fragmentation of environments suitable for pollinators substantially boosts the risk of extinctions at local level.
Global warming is also revealed to be a major threat: 52% of all threatened butterflies in Europe are threatened by the climate change crisis – approximately twofold the amount as a ten years ago.
Up to nine out of ten of blooming plants in the European continent require animal pollination, as per Dr Denis Michez. “Regrettably, native bee populations are in severe drop and cannot readily be substituted by managed colonies,” he said. “If native bees disappear, many non-cultivated plants might be at risk too – of which bloom-filled grasslands and beautiful orchid species are just a few examples.”
Fifteen types of bumblebees, which have an essential part in fertilizing crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bees, known 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 continent and the only species of this genus in the European continent, is now classified as severely threatened – the scientific classification nearest to extinction in the wild.
Butterflies that are solely present on mountain tops are especially at risk to global heating as they have to climb upward as their living spaces become hotter but eventually run out of space. In the southern part of Spain, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among more than 40% of types unique to Europe (only found in Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean, varieties such as the critically endangered Karpathos grayling are imperilled by extreme dry conditions and fires.
Meanwhile, in the Far North, climate change is leading to the timberline to advance northwards by dozens of meters each year, with bushes invading wetlands and tundra. Hotter climates also mean reindeer can no more cross the frozen water to feed on Arctic grasslands and keep them open. 8 butterfly varieties are threatened with extinction in this area, including Freyja’s fritillary and the Arctic ringlet.
“The largest living space for all these pollinators is flower-rich grassland and that is declining quickly throughout European nations because of all these reasons,” remarked one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The positive thing is that so many individuals care now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member states have to reverse the decline in pollinating insects by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to begin taking action. There are property owners who are interested. Let’s hope they can get the incentives that will assist them on their way.”
According to Warren, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of action for pollinators which will not decrease crop yields – and may enhance it – such as agricultural producers developing margins rich in flowers around their cultivated areas.
Jessika Roswall, characterized the preservation condition of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “critical”.
“Prompt and unified steps is needed to address this threat. Along with participating nations, the European Commission has established an EU-wide monitoring system for pollinating insects based on the EU nature restoration law, which will assist in monitoring our advancement. Now, we need to concentrate on implementation and cooperation with participating nations to safeguard our pollinators,” she said.
The issuance of the bee and butterfly assessments comes after the pioneering EU-wide assessment of hoverflies, a further vital pollinator group. Published in 2022, it revealed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly species in European nations were at risk of extinction.
