The count of non-managed bee species in Europe facing disappearance has more than doubled during the previous ten-year period, whereas the count of threatened butterfly species has close to doubled.
This pressing issue for vital pollinating insects was revealed 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 facing extinction in European nations.
The count of butterflies threatened with extinction in Europe has increased from thirty-seven to sixty-five since the last study, conducted 14 years ago. One species, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
Apart from their aesthetic appeal and cultural significance, pollinating insects like bees and butterflies are lifelines for our well-being, our food chains and our economic systems – maintaining the fruits, veggies and seeds that nourish us,” commented Grethel Aguilar. “The newest European red list assessments reveal significant difficulties, with risks growing for butterfly species and essential wild bee types.”
The causes of the rapid recent declines are the persistent damage or destruction of living environments caused by farming intensification and abandoned land, wetland drainage, overgrazing by livestock, and the use of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid pesticides. The fragmentation of pollinator-friendly habitat significantly raises the danger of disappearances in specific areas.
Global heating is also shown to be a major threat: Fifty-two percent of all endangered butterfly species in the European continent are endangered by the climate change crisis – roughly twice as many as a ten years ago.
Up to nine out of ten of flowering plants in Europe rely on pollination by animals, according to the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Sadly, native bee populations are in severe drop and cannot be easily replaced by domesticated hives,” he said. “If wild bees die out, many wild plants might be in danger as well – of which bloom-filled grasslands and beautiful orchid species are just a handful of illustrations.”
Fifteen species of bumblebees, which have an essential part in fertilizing legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bees, recognized for aiding tree pollination such as willow trees and red maples, are now classified as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type found only in the continent and the single type of this genus in European nations, is now assessed as severely threatened – the scientific category nearest to extinction in the wild.
Butterfly species that are only found on mountain peaks are especially at risk to climate change as they have to climb upward as their living spaces become more heated but eventually have no room left. In Spain’s southern region, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among over forty percent of European endemics (solely present in Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, species such as the highly at-risk grayling of Karpathos are endangered by extreme drought and wildfires.
At the same time, in the Far North, global warming is leading to the timberline to advance northwards by dozens of meters each year, with scrub encroaching on marsh and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean caribou can no more cross the ice to feed on Arctic meadows and keep them open. Eight butterfly species are threatened with extinction in this zone, including the fritillary of Freyja and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The largest environment for all these pollinating species is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is vanishing rapidly across the European continent because of all these reasons,” said Martin Warren. “The encouraging aspect is that so many individuals are aware now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member countries have to turn around the decline in pollinating insects by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are property owners who are involved. Let’s hope they can receive the incentives that will help them on their way.”
As per the coordinator, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of action for pollinating insects which will not decrease agricultural output – and might boost it – such as agricultural producers developing flower-rich margins around their farmland.
the EU’s environment commissioner, portrayed the protection status of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “critical”.
“Prompt and unified steps is necessary to address this threat. Together with member states, the EU Commission has implemented an EU-wide tracking system for pollinators based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will aid in following our progress. Now, we need to prioritize application and collaboration with member countries to safeguard our pollinators,” she said.
The publication of the bee and butterfly assessments is subsequent to the pioneering EU-wide study on hoverflies, another essential pollinating insect category. Published in twenty-twenty-two, it disclosed that over one-third of all hoverfly types in Europe were facing extinction.
