The number of wild bee varieties in European nations experiencing dying out has over doubled during the previous ten-year period, while the total of endangered butterfly types has close to doubled.
This pressing issue for vital pollinators was unveiled by scientific studies for the IUCN red list, which established that at least over 170 bee varieties out of over 1900 were at risk of extinction in Europe.
The total of butterfly species at risk of extinction in European nations has grown from thirty-seven to over sixty since the earlier research, performed a decade and a half ago. A single species, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
“Beyond their aesthetic appeal and cultural importance, pollinating insects like bees along with butterflies are essential supports for our physical condition, our food chains and our economies – sustaining the produce, vegetables and seeds that nourish us,” commented the IUCN director general. “The newest assessments of the European red list reveal major obstacles, with dangers increasing for butterflies and crucial non-managed bee types.”
The causes of the rapid recent declines are the continuing harm or degradation of living environments caused by intensive agriculture and deserted farmland, draining of wetlands, excessive grazing by animals, and the use of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoid pesticides. The division of environments suitable for pollinators greatly increases the threat of local extinctions.
Global heating is also shown to be a major threat: Fifty-two percent of all at-risk butterfly types in the European continent are imperilled by the climate emergency – about twofold the amount as a ten years ago.
Up to nine out of ten of flowering plants in Europe depend on pollination by animals, as stated by the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Regrettably, wild bee groups are in drastic decline and are not easily replaceable by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If wild bees vanish, many non-cultivated plants might be threatened too – of which flower-rich meadows and lovely orchid types are just a handful of illustrations.”
Fifteen species of bumblebee types, which play a crucial role in pollinating peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bees, recognized for fertilizing trees such as willows along with red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee exclusive to the European continent and the only species of this genus in European nations, is now classified as critically endangered – the research category nearest to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterfly types that are only found on mountain tops are especially at risk to global heating as they must ascend higher as their living spaces become more heated but in the end exhaust available space. In southern Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among more than 40% of types unique to Europe (only found in Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, varieties such as the severely threatened Karpathos grayling are endangered by intense wildfires and drought.
In the meantime, in the Arctic region, global heating is leading to the tree line to advance northwards by tens of metres each year, with underbrush taking over wetlands and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean caribou can no more cross the ice sheets to graze northern grasslands 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 environment for all these pollinating species is flower-rich grassland and that is vanishing rapidly across Europe because of all these factors,” remarked Martin Warren. “The good news is that so many people care now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all member states have to turn around the drop in pollinators by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are landowners who are interested. Let’s hope they can receive the encouragements that will assist them on their way.”
As per Warren, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of measures for pollinating insects which will not lower food production – and may enhance it – such as farmers establishing flower-rich margins around their fields.
Jessika Roswall, described the conservation status of non-managed bees, butterfly species and other pollinating insects as “dire”.
“Urgent and collective action is required to tackle this threat. Along with member countries, the European Commission has established an EU-wide observation 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 partnership with participating nations to preserve our pollinating insects,” she said.
The release of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies follows the first European-wide assessment of hoverflies, another crucial pollinating insect category. Released in 2022, it showed that 37% of all hoverfly types in Europe were facing extinction.
