The total of non-managed bee varieties in the European continent experiencing dying out has increased twofold during the previous ten-year period, whereas the number of endangered butterfly types has close to doubled.
This dire scenario for vital pollinating species was disclosed by scientific studies for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, which established that at least one hundred seventy-two bee types out of nearly two thousand were facing extinction in European nations.
The total of butterflies threatened with extinction in European nations has increased from over thirty-five to sixty-five since the last study, carried out a decade and a half ago. One species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
Apart from their visual charm and cultural significance, pollinating species like bees along with butterflies are crucial elements for our physical condition, our food chains and our economic systems – sustaining the produce, vegetables and seeds that feed us,” commented Grethel Aguilar. “The latest European red list assessments reveal serious challenges, with dangers increasing for butterfly species and essential non-managed bee types.”
The causes of the swift recent drops are the ongoing destruction or damage of natural habitats caused by agricultural intensification and deserted farmland, wetland drainage, excessive grazing by animals, and the utilization of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoid chemicals. The fragmentation of environments suitable for pollinators greatly increases the risk of disappearances in specific areas.
Global warming is also revealed to be a significant danger: Fifty-two percent of all at-risk butterfly types in Europe are threatened by the climate crisis – about twofold the amount as a ten years ago.
As many as nine out of ten of flowering plants in European nations rely on animal pollination, as per Dr Denis Michez. “Sadly, non-managed 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 flower-rich meadows and beautiful orchid species are just a couple of instances.”
Fifteen species of bumblebees, which have an essential part in aiding the pollination of peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bee species, recognized for fertilizing trees such as willows along with red maples, are now classified as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee unique to the European continent and the single type of this biological genus in the European continent, is now evaluated as severely threatened – the research category closest to disappearance in the wild.
Butterfly types that are solely present on mountain tops are especially at risk to global warming as they need to move uphill as their living spaces become hotter but eventually run out of space. In Spain’s southern region, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among above 40 percent of types unique to Europe (only found in Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, varieties such as the critically endangered Karpathos grayling butterfly are threatened by intense wildfires and drought.
Meanwhile, in the Arctic region, climate change is resulting in the timberline to move north by many meters each year, with bushes invading marsh and tundra. Hotter climates also mean Arctic deer can no more cross the frozen water to browse Arctic meadows and prevent them from overgrowing. Eight types of butterflies are at risk of extinction in this zone, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the Arctic ringlet.
“The greatest habitat for all these pollinators is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is vanishing rapidly across European nations because of all these elements,” said Martin Warren. “The encouraging aspect is that so many citizens are concerned now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member countries have to turn around the drop in pollinating insects by the year 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are landowners who are interested. We hope they can receive the incentives that will support them on their way.”
According to Martin Warren, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of measures for pollinating insects which will not decrease agricultural output – and could improve it – such as growers developing bloom-filled edges around their cultivated areas.
the EU’s environment commissioner, characterized the protection status of non-managed bees, butterfly species and other pollinating insects as “dire”.
“Immediate and joint measures is necessary to tackle this danger. In collaboration with member countries, the European Commission has implemented an Europe-wide monitoring system for pollinating insects based on the EU nature restoration law, which will assist in monitoring our progress. Now, we need to prioritize implementation and cooperation with member countries to preserve our pollinators,” she said.
The issuance of the bee and butterfly assessments follows the first EU-wide study on hoverflies, another vital pollinator group. Released in 2022, it showed that 37% of all hoverfly varieties in the European continent were facing extinction.
