The total of wild bee types in the European continent confronting dying out has increased twofold in the last ten years, whereas the count of endangered butterfly has close to doubled.
This critical situation for vital pollinators was revealed by scientific studies for the red list of threatened species, which determined that at least 172 bee varieties out of 1,928 were facing extinction in the European continent.
The count of butterfly types threatened with extinction in European nations has risen from 37 to 65 since the previous assessment, carried out 14 years ago. A single species, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
In addition to their visual charm and cultural significance, pollinating species like bees and butterflies are essential supports for our physical condition, our food supplies and our economic systems – supporting the fruits, veggies and seeds that feed us,” said Grethel Aguilar. “The newest assessments of the European red list reveal serious challenges, with risks growing for butterfly species and vital wild bee types.”
The causes of the rapid recent declines are the continuing harm or degradation of natural habitats caused by farming intensification and deserted farmland, draining of wetlands, excessive grazing by animals, and the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoids. The fragmentation of environments suitable for pollinators substantially boosts the danger of extinctions at local level.
Climate change is also revealed to be a major threat: Over half of all threatened butterflies in the European continent are imperilled by the climate emergency – roughly double the number as a previous decade.
Nearly nine out of ten of flowering plants in the European continent require insect pollination, as per the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Regrettably, wild bee populations are in severe drop and cannot be easily replaced by domesticated hives,” he said. “If non-managed bees vanish, many native plants might be at risk too – of which meadows rich in flowers and attractive orchid varieties are just a few examples.”
Fifteen types of bumblebee species, which play a crucial role in pollinating peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bees, recognized for pollinating trees such as willows along with red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type exclusive to the European continent and the sole species of this biological genus in Europe, is now classified as critically endangered – the scientific classification closest to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterflies that are solely present on high-altitude areas are highly susceptible to global heating as they need to move uphill as their living spaces become more heated but eventually exhaust available space. In southern Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among more than 40% of types unique to Europe (only found in Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, varieties such as the severely threatened Karpathos grayling are endangered by severe drought and wildfires.
At the same time, in the Far North, global heating is leading to the timberline to shift northward by dozens of meters each year, with underbrush taking over marsh and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean Arctic deer can not anymore cross the ice to graze northern grasslands and maintain them clear. 8 butterfly varieties are facing extinction in this zone, including Freyja’s fritillary and the Arctic ringlet.
“The biggest living space for all these pollinating insects is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is declining quickly throughout Europe because of all these reasons,” said one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The good news is that so many citizens care now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all participating nations have to halt the drop in pollinating insects by 2030, and they are going to have to begin taking action. There are property owners who are engaged. We hope they can obtain the incentives that will help them on their way.”
As per the coordinator, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of action for pollinators which will not decrease crop yields – and could improve it – such as farmers developing margins rich in flowers around their cultivated areas.
the EU’s environment commissioner, described the protection status of non-managed bees, butterfly species and other pollinating insects as “dire”.
“Urgent and collective action is necessary to tackle this risk. Together with member countries, the European Commission has established an European Union-wide observation system for pollinators based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will help to track our development. Now, we need to focus on execution and partnership with member states to protect our pollinators,” she said.
The release of the assessments on bees and butterflies is subsequent to the pioneering Europe-wide evaluation of hoverflies, a further crucial group of pollinators. Released in twenty-twenty-two, it revealed that 37% of all hoverfly types in European nations were at risk of extinction.
