The total of native bee types in the European continent confronting dying out has over doubled in the last ten years, and the count of at-risk butterfly types has close to doubled.
This critical situation for essential pollinators was revealed by scientific studies for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, which found that at least over 170 bee species out of nearly two thousand were at risk of extinction in Europe.
The number of butterfly species threatened with extinction in the European continent has risen from 37 to over sixty since the earlier research, conducted a decade and a half ago. One type, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
“Beyond their aesthetic appeal and cultural significance, pollinators like bees along with butterflies are crucial elements for our physical condition, our food chains and our financial structures – supporting the fruits, veggies and seeds that nourish us,” said Grethel Aguilar. “The most recent assessments of the European red list reveal serious challenges, with threats growing for butterfly types and crucial wild bee varieties.”
The causes of the rapid recent declines are the ongoing destruction or damage of natural habitats caused by agricultural intensification and land abandonment, wetland drainage, overgrazing by livestock, and the use of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid chemicals. The breaking up of environments suitable for pollinators substantially boosts the danger of disappearances in specific areas.
Global heating is also shown to be a primary risk: 52% of all threatened butterflies in the European continent are imperilled by the climate emergency – about twofold the amount as a previous decade.
Nearly nine out of ten of blooming plants in European nations require animal pollination, as stated by the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Unfortunately, native bee colonies are in severe drop and cannot readily be substituted by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If wild bees disappear, many wild plants might be at risk too – of which meadows rich in flowers and lovely orchid types are just a couple of instances.”
15 varieties of bumblebees, which play a crucial role in fertilizing crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bee species, recognized for aiding tree pollination such as willow trees and red maples, are now classified as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species found only in the mainland and the single type of this genus group in Europe, is now assessed as critically at risk – the scientific classification nearest to disappearance in the wild.
Butterfly types that are only found on mountain tops are especially at risk to climate change as they need to move uphill as their environments become hotter but ultimately have no room left. In southern Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among more than 40% of species endemic to Europe (solely present in Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, types such as the critically endangered grayling of Karpathos are imperilled by intense wildfires and drought.
At the same time, in the Arctic region, climate change is leading to the forest boundary to move north by tens of metres each year, with underbrush invading wetlands and tundra. Hotter climates also mean caribou can not anymore cross the frozen water to feed on Arctic grasslands and prevent them from overgrowing. Eight butterfly species are facing extinction in this region, including Freyja’s fritillary and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The biggest living space for all these pollinators is grassland rich in flowers and that is declining quickly across Europe because of all these factors,” said Martin Warren. “The positive thing is that so many citizens are concerned now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all participating nations have to halt the decline in pollinators by the year 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are property owners who are engaged. We hope they can receive the incentives that will help them on their way.”
According to Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of steps for pollinators which will not lower food production – and may enhance it – such as farmers establishing bloom-filled edges around their cultivated areas.
Jessika Roswall, portrayed the preservation condition of non-managed bees, butterfly species and other pollinating insects as “critical”.
“Urgent and collective action is needed to confront this risk. In collaboration with member states, the European Commission has established an EU-wide monitoring system for pollinating species based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will help to track our progress. Now, we need to prioritize implementation and collaboration with participating nations to safeguard our pollinating insects,” she said.
The release of the bee and butterfly assessments comes after the first European-wide evaluation of hoverflies, a further vital pollinator group. Released in 2022, it revealed that 37% of all hoverfly types in Europe were threatened with extinction.
