The count of wild bee species in the European continent facing extinction has over doubled during the previous ten-year period, and the total of at-risk butterfly has nearly doubled.
This critical situation for essential pollinators was revealed by scientific assessments for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, which determined that at least over 170 bee species out of nearly two thousand were facing extinction in Europe.
The number of butterfly types threatened with extinction in Europe has risen from 37 to over sixty since the previous assessment, carried out over a decade past. One species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
In addition to their beauty and cultural importance, pollinating species like bees along with butterflies are essential supports for our well-being, our food chains and our economic systems – sustaining the produce, vegetables and seeds that nourish us,” commented the IUCN director general. “The newest European red list assessments reveal serious challenges, with risks increasing for butterfly species and essential native bee types.”
The causes of the swift recent drops are the persistent harm or degradation of living environments caused by intensive agriculture and abandoned land, draining wetlands, excessive grazing by animals, and the application of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoids. The fragmentation of pollinator-friendly habitat greatly increases the threat of extinctions at local level.
Global warming is also revealed to be a significant danger: 52% of all threatened butterflies in European nations are imperilled by the climate emergency – approximately twofold the amount as a decade ago.
Up to 90% of flowering plants in the European continent depend on insect pollination, as per the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Regrettably, wild bee populations are in severe drop and are not easily replaceable by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If native bees die out, many wild plants might be in danger as well – of which meadows rich in flowers and lovely orchid types are just a couple of instances.”
Fifteen types of bumblebee species, which have an essential part in aiding the pollination of crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bees, famous for aiding tree pollination such as willows along with red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type exclusive to the mainland and the single type of this genus group in European nations, is now assessed as critically at risk – the scientific category closest to extinction in the wild.
Butterfly species that are only found on high-altitude areas are especially at risk to global warming as they have to climb upward as their living spaces become warmer but in the end exhaust available space. In the southern part of Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among above 40 percent of European endemics (solely present in Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, species such as the critically endangered Karpathos grayling butterfly are endangered by extreme wildfires and drought.
At the same time, in the Arctic region, global warming is resulting in the forest boundary to advance northwards by many meters each year, with underbrush encroaching on bog and tundra. Hotter climates also mean Arctic deer can no more cross the frozen water to browse Arctic grasslands and maintain them clear. Eight types of butterflies are at risk of extinction in this zone, including the fritillary of Freyja and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The greatest environment for all these pollinating insects is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is declining quickly throughout European nations because of all these factors,” remarked Martin Warren. “The positive thing is that so many individuals are concerned now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the European Union nature restoration law, all participating nations have to halt the decrease in pollinators by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are land holders who are interested. We hope they can get the encouragements that will assist them on their way.”
As per Warren, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of action for pollinating insects which won’t reduce crop yields – and may enhance it – such as growers developing margins rich in flowers around their cultivated areas.
Jessika Roswall, characterized the protection status of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “critical”.
“Urgent and collective action is needed to address this risk. Together with participating nations, the European Commission has implemented an European Union-wide observation system for pollinating species based on the EU nature restoration law, which will assist in monitoring our advancement. Now, we need to prioritize application and partnership with participating nations to protect our pollinating insects,” she said.
The issuance of the bee and butterfly assessments comes after the initial Europe-wide assessment of hoverflies, an additional crucial group of pollinators. Released in 2022, it disclosed that over one-third of all hoverfly types in the European continent were threatened with extinction.
