The count of non-managed bee species in Europe facing dying out has increased twofold over the past decade, while the total of at-risk butterfly types has almost doubled.
This dire scenario for essential pollinators was unveiled by research studies for the red list of threatened species, which determined that at least over 170 bee types out of over 1900 were at risk of extinction in European nations.
The total of butterflies facing extinction in the European continent has risen from over thirty-five to 65 since the last study, conducted a decade and a half ago. A single species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
“Beyond their visual charm and cultural importance, pollinating insects like bees and butterflies are lifelines for our health, our food supplies and our financial structures – maintaining the produce, vegetables and seeds that feed us,” stated Grethel Aguilar. “The newest European red list evaluations reveal serious challenges, with risks growing for butterfly types and crucial non-managed bee varieties.”
The causes of the rapid recent declines are the continuing destruction or damage of habitats caused by intensive agriculture and land abandonment, draining of wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the utilization of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoid chemicals. The breaking up of habitat friendly to pollinators greatly increases the risk of local extinctions.
Global warming is also revealed to be a significant danger: 52% of all at-risk butterfly types in the European continent are endangered by the climate change crisis – roughly twofold the amount as a decade ago.
Nearly ninety percent of plants that flower in the European continent require animal pollination, as per the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Unfortunately, wild bee populations are in sharp decrease and are not easily replaceable by domesticated hives,” he said. “If native bees vanish, many non-cultivated plants might be threatened too – of which meadows rich in flowers and lovely orchid types are just a handful of illustrations.”
Fifteen types of bumblebees, which play a crucial role in pollinating legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bee species, known for pollinating trees such as willows and red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee found only in the mainland and the sole species of this biological genus in European nations, is now assessed as critically endangered – the research category closest to disappearance in the wild.
Butterfly types that are exclusively located on mountain peaks are highly susceptible to global heating as they have to climb upward as their living spaces become warmer but eventually exhaust available space. In southern Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among above 40 percent of types unique to Europe (only found in Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean, species such as the critically endangered Karpathos grayling butterfly are endangered by severe dry conditions and fires.
In the meantime, in the Arctic region, climate change is resulting in the tree line to advance northwards by dozens of meters each year, with underbrush invading marsh and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean caribou can no more cross the ice sheets 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 Arctic ringlet.
“The largest habitat for all these pollinating species is flower-rich grassland and that is vanishing rapidly throughout the European continent because of all these reasons,” stated one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The positive thing is that so many people are concerned now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all member states have to reverse the decline in pollinating insects by 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are landowners who are involved. We hope they can receive the motivations that will support them on their way.”
As per Martin Warren, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of action for pollinating insects which won’t reduce crop yields – and might boost it – such as agricultural producers establishing bloom-filled edges around their cultivated areas.
EU commissioner for environment, portrayed the conservation status of non-managed bees, butterfly species and other pollinating insects as “critical”.
“Prompt and unified steps is needed to tackle this threat. Along with member countries, the European Commission has implemented an Europe-wide tracking system for pollinators based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will help to track our progress. Now, we need to concentrate on implementation and cooperation with participating nations to preserve our pollinators,” she said.
The release of the bee and butterfly assessments follows the pioneering European-wide assessment of hoverflies, an additional vital pollinating insect category. Published in 2022, it disclosed that 37% of all hoverfly species in Europe were threatened with extinction.
