The total of native bee types in the European continent facing extinction has increased twofold during the previous ten-year period, while the count of at-risk butterfly types has almost doubled.
This dire scenario for crucial pollinating insects was disclosed by research 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 1,928 were at risk of extinction in Europe.
The count of butterfly types facing extinction in Europe has grown from 37 to over sixty since the last study, performed over a decade past. A single species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
In addition to their visual charm and cultural importance, pollinating insects like bees and butterfly species are crucial elements for our physical condition, our food supplies and our economic systems – supporting the fruits, veggies and seeds that nourish us,” commented the IUCN director general. “The newest European red list evaluations reveal significant difficulties, with threats growing for butterflies and essential native bee varieties.”
The reasons of the quick recent decreases are the ongoing damage or destruction of habitats caused by agricultural intensification and abandoned land, draining wetlands, excessive grazing by animals, and the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid pesticides. The breaking up of environments suitable for pollinators significantly raises the danger of local extinctions.
Climate change is also demonstrated to be a significant danger: 52% of all endangered butterfly species in Europe are threatened by the climate emergency – about double the number as a previous decade.
Up to nine out of ten of blooming plants in European nations require insect pollination, as stated by the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Regrettably, wild bee groups are in drastic decline and cannot be easily replaced by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If native bees disappear, many native plants might be threatened too – of which meadows rich in flowers and lovely orchid types are just a couple of instances.”
15 varieties of bumblebee species, which have an essential part in pollinating 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 classified as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type unique to the mainland and the single type of this genus group in the European continent, is now evaluated as critically at risk – the scientific classification closest to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterfly species that are only found on mountain tops are highly susceptible to climate change as they have to climb upward as their living spaces become warmer but ultimately exhaust available space. In Spain’s southern region, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among more than 40% of European endemics (solely present in Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, varieties such as the highly at-risk grayling of Karpathos are endangered by severe drought and wildfires.
At the same time, in the Arctic Circle, global warming is causing the tree line to advance northwards by dozens of meters each year, with underbrush taking over marsh and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean reindeer can not anymore cross the ice sheets to browse northern grasslands and keep them open. 8 butterfly varieties are facing extinction in this area, including the fritillary of Freyja and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The biggest habitat for all these pollinating insects is flower-rich grassland and that is vanishing rapidly throughout the European continent because of all these reasons,” stated Martin Warren. “The encouraging aspect is that so many individuals are concerned now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member states have to reverse the decrease in pollinating species by 2030, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are land holders who are engaged. It is hoped they can get the encouragements that will support them on their way.”
According to Martin Warren, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of action for pollinating insects which won’t reduce crop yields – and may enhance it – such as farmers creating margins rich in flowers around their cultivated areas.
the EU’s environment commissioner, characterized the protection status of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “severe”.
“Prompt and unified steps is necessary to tackle this risk. In collaboration with member countries, the European Commission has established an European Union-wide tracking system for pollinating insects based on the EU nature restoration law, which will help to track our progress. Now, we need to concentrate on implementation and partnership with member states to preserve our pollinating species,” she said.
The release of the assessments on bees and butterflies comes after the pioneering European-wide study on hoverflies, an additional crucial pollinator group. Released in twenty-twenty-two, it disclosed that 37% of all hoverfly varieties in the European continent were threatened with extinction.
