The count of native bee varieties in European nations experiencing disappearance has more than doubled during the previous ten-year period, and the count of endangered butterfly species has almost doubled.
This critical situation for crucial pollinators was unveiled by scientific assessments for the red list of threatened species, which established that at least one hundred seventy-two bee types out of nearly two thousand were facing extinction in European nations.
The number of butterflies threatened with extinction in the European continent has risen from over thirty-five to sixty-five since the earlier research, conducted 14 years ago. One species, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
In addition to their beauty and cultural significance, pollinators like bees and butterflies are lifelines for our physical condition, our food chains and our economic systems – supporting the produce, vegetables and seeds that nourish us,” stated Grethel Aguilar. “The latest European red list assessments reveal major obstacles, with risks mounting for butterfly types and vital wild bee species.”
The causes of the rapid recent declines are the persistent destruction or damage of natural habitats caused by agricultural intensification and land abandonment, draining wetlands, excessive grazing by animals, and the application of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid pesticides. The division of habitat friendly to pollinators greatly increases the risk of local extinctions.
Global heating is also revealed to be a major threat: Over half of all threatened butterfly species in Europe are endangered by the climate change crisis – about twofold the amount as a ten years ago.
Nearly nine out of ten of blooming plants in European nations rely on animal pollination, as stated by the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Regrettably, wild bee groups are in sharp decrease and cannot readily be substituted by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If non-managed bees vanish, many non-cultivated 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 bumblebee types, which perform a vital function in pollinating crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bees, recognized for aiding tree pollination such as willow trees and red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species found only in the continent and the single type of this biological genus in Europe, is now assessed as severely threatened – the scientific category most akin to extinction in the wild.
Butterfly types that are solely present on mountain peaks are especially at risk to climate change as they need to move uphill as their habitats become more heated but ultimately run out of space. In Spain’s southern region, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among above 40 percent of species endemic to Europe (solely present in Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, types such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling are threatened by severe drought and wildfires.
In the meantime, in the Far North, climate change is leading to the forest boundary to advance northwards by tens of metres each year, with underbrush invading wetlands and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean Arctic deer can not anymore cross the frozen water to feed on Arctic grasslands and keep them open. Eight butterfly species are at risk of extinction in this area, including Freyja’s fritillary and the Arctic ringlet.
“The biggest environment for all these pollinating insects is grassland rich in flowers and that is disappearing very fast across European nations because of all these factors,” remarked Martin Warren. “The good news is that so many citizens care now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all participating nations have to reverse the decline in pollinating insects by the year 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are land holders who are involved. It is hoped they can receive the motivations that will assist them on their way.”
As stated by Martin Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of steps for pollinating insects which will not decrease crop yields – and may enhance it – such as growers developing flower-rich margins around their fields.
the EU’s environment commissioner, described the protection status of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “severe”.
“Immediate and joint measures is necessary to confront this threat. Along with member countries, the European Commission has put in place an European Union-wide monitoring system for pollinating species based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will help to track our development. Now, we need to focus on application and cooperation with member countries to protect our pollinators,” she said.
The release of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies follows the initial EU-wide evaluation of hoverflies, a further essential pollinator group. Published in 2022, it revealed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly species in Europe were facing extinction.
