The total of non-managed bee varieties in the European continent confronting disappearance has over doubled in the last ten years, and the number of endangered butterfly species has close to doubled.
This pressing issue for essential pollinators was disclosed by scientific assessments for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, which determined that at least one hundred seventy-two bee types out of over 1900 were at risk of extinction in the European continent.
The number of butterfly types at risk of extinction in European nations has grown from over thirty-five to 65 since the previous assessment, conducted over a decade past. A single species, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been declared extinct.
Apart from their beauty and cultural value, pollinating species like bees and butterflies are lifelines for our physical condition, our food systems and our economies – sustaining the fruits, veggies and seeds that nourish us,” stated Grethel Aguilar. “The newest European red list evaluations reveal serious challenges, with threats increasing for butterfly types and vital wild bee types.”
The reasons of the quick recent decreases are the ongoing destruction or damage of natural habitats caused by intensive agriculture and abandoned land, draining of wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the application of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid pesticides. The division of habitat friendly to pollinators greatly increases the risk of disappearances in specific areas.
Global warming is also revealed to be a primary risk: Fifty-two percent of all at-risk butterfly types in the European continent are endangered by the climate change crisis – approximately double the number as a previous decade.
Nearly 90% of blooming plants in European nations rely on animal pollination, as per Dr Denis Michez. “Unfortunately, wild bee colonies are in sharp decrease and cannot be easily replaced by managed colonies,” he said. “If non-managed bees vanish, many wild plants might be threatened too – of which meadows rich in flowers and lovely orchid types are just a handful of illustrations.”
Fifteen types of bumblebee species, which perform a vital function in pollinating crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bee types, famous for fertilizing trees such as willows along with red maples, are now classified as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type found only in the mainland and the only species of this genus group in Europe, is now evaluated as critically at risk – the scientific category most akin to disappearance in the wild.
Butterfly species that are only found on mountain peaks are highly susceptible to global heating as they have to climb upward as their living spaces become hotter but ultimately have no room left. In Spain’s southern region, the Nevada grayling and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among more than 40% of types unique to Europe (exclusive to Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean, species such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling are endangered by extreme dry conditions and fires.
In the meantime, in the Arctic Circle, global warming is leading to the forest boundary to move north by tens of metres each year, with underbrush taking over marsh and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean caribou can no more cross the ice sheets to graze Arctic grasslands and prevent them from overgrowing. 8 butterfly varieties are threatened with extinction in this region, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The largest habitat for all these pollinators is grassland rich in flowers and that is declining quickly throughout the European continent because of all these factors,” said one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The good news is that so many people are aware now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member states have to halt the drop in pollinators by 2030, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are land holders who are engaged. It is hoped they can receive the incentives that will assist them on their way.”
As per the coordinator, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of action for pollinating species which won’t reduce crop yields – and might boost it – such as farmers developing bloom-filled edges around their fields.
EU commissioner for environment, described the preservation condition of non-managed bees, butterfly species and other pollinating insects as “severe”.
“Prompt and unified steps is needed to confront this danger. Together with member countries, the EU Commission has put in place an European Union-wide tracking system for pollinators based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will help to track our development. Now, we need to focus on implementation and collaboration with participating nations to safeguard our pollinating insects,” she said.
The release of the bee and butterfly assessments follows the initial European-wide assessment of hoverflies, an additional essential group of pollinators. Issued in 2022, it showed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly types in Europe were facing extinction.
