The number of non-managed bee species in the European continent experiencing extinction has more than doubled over the past decade, and the total of at-risk butterfly types has close to doubled.
This critical situation for essential pollinating insects was disclosed by scientific assessments for the IUCN red list, which determined that at least 172 bee varieties out of 1,928 were facing extinction in the European continent.
The total of butterfly types facing extinction in the European continent has increased from over thirty-five to over sixty since the previous assessment, carried out 14 years ago. One species, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been declared extinct.
In addition to their beauty and cultural value, pollinators like bees and butterflies are crucial elements for our health, our food chains and our financial structures – sustaining the fruits, veggies and seeds that nourish us,” stated the IUCN director general. “The newest assessments of the European red list reveal major obstacles, with threats mounting for butterfly species and vital wild bee varieties.”
The reasons of the quick recent decreases are the continuing destruction or damage of natural habitats caused by agricultural intensification and land abandonment, draining of wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the application of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid chemicals. The fragmentation of environments suitable for pollinators significantly raises the danger of local extinctions.
Global heating is also demonstrated to be a primary risk: Fifty-two percent of all at-risk butterflies in European nations are threatened by the climate emergency – roughly twofold the amount as a ten years ago.
As many as nine out of ten of blooming plants in Europe require animal pollination, as stated by the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Sadly, native bee groups are in sharp decrease and are not easily replaceable by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If wild bees vanish, many non-cultivated plants might be in danger as well – of which bloom-filled grasslands and lovely orchid types are just a handful of illustrations.”
Fifteen species of bumblebees, which perform a vital function in aiding the pollination of crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bee species, famous for fertilizing trees such as willows and red maples, are now classified as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species found only in the continent and the sole species of this genus in European nations, is now evaluated as critically at risk – the scientific classification nearest to extinction in the wild.
Butterfly types that are only found on high-altitude areas are highly susceptible to global heating as they have to climb upward as their habitats become more heated but eventually run out of space. In Spain’s southern region, the Nevada grayling and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among more than 40% of species endemic to Europe (solely present in Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, types such as the severely threatened grayling of Karpathos are endangered by severe drought and wildfires.
At the same time, in the Far North, global warming is leading to the timberline to shift northward by tens of metres each year, with underbrush invading marsh and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean caribou can not anymore cross the ice sheets to feed on northern grasslands and prevent them from overgrowing. 8 butterfly varieties are facing extinction in this zone, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the Arctic ringlet.
“The greatest habitat for all these pollinators is flower-rich grassland and that is disappearing very fast throughout the European continent because of all these factors,” said Martin Warren. “The positive thing is that so many individuals care now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member states have to reverse the decrease in pollinating insects by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are landowners who are interested. We hope they can receive the incentives that will assist them on their way.”
As stated by Martin Warren, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of steps for pollinators which will not lower food production – and might boost it – such as agricultural producers creating margins rich in flowers around their fields.
Jessika Roswall, portrayed the preservation condition of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “dire”.
“Immediate and joint measures is needed to tackle this threat. Together with participating nations, the European Commission has put in place an EU-wide monitoring system for pollinators based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will aid in following our development. Now, we need to prioritize implementation and collaboration with member states to safeguard our pollinating insects,” she said.
The release of the assessments on bees and butterflies comes after the pioneering European-wide evaluation of hoverflies, another crucial pollinating insect category. Published in 2022, it showed that over one-third of all hoverfly types in Europe were at risk of extinction.