The count of native bee varieties in European nations facing dying out has increased twofold during the previous ten-year period, whereas the count of at-risk butterfly species has almost doubled.
This pressing issue for essential pollinators was unveiled by research studies for the red list of threatened species, which established that at least one hundred seventy-two bee varieties out of over 1900 were at risk of extinction in the European continent.
The number of butterfly species at risk of extinction in European nations has grown from 37 to sixty-five since the previous assessment, performed 14 years ago. A single species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
In addition to their visual charm and cultural value, pollinating insects like bees along with butterflies are lifelines for our health, our food systems and our financial structures – sustaining the fruits, veggies and seeds that feed us,” stated Grethel Aguilar. “The most recent assessments of the European red list reveal major obstacles, with threats growing for butterfly types and vital wild bee species.”
The causes of the quick recent decreases are the persistent destruction or damage of living environments caused by agricultural intensification and deserted farmland, draining of wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the utilization of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid chemicals. The fragmentation of habitat friendly to pollinators significantly raises the threat of disappearances in specific areas.
Global heating is also demonstrated to be a major threat: 52% of all endangered butterflies in European nations are imperilled by the climate change crisis – roughly twice as many as a previous decade.
As many as 90% of plants that flower in European nations depend on pollination by animals, as per the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Sadly, wild bee groups are in drastic decline and cannot readily be substituted by domesticated hives,” he said. “If wild bees vanish, many non-cultivated plants might be at risk too – of which flower-rich meadows and attractive orchid varieties are just a handful of illustrations.”
15 varieties of bumblebee species, which have an essential part in aiding the pollination of peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bees, famous for aiding tree pollination such as willows and red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type unique to the mainland and the single type of this genus group in Europe, is now classified as critically endangered – the scientific category nearest to extinction in the wild.
Butterfly types that are solely present on high-altitude areas are especially at risk to global warming as they have to climb upward as their environments become more heated but ultimately have no room left. In Spain’s southern region, the Nevada grayling and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among more than 40% of species endemic to Europe (solely present in Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, species such as the severely threatened Karpathos grayling butterfly are threatened by intense dry conditions and fires.
In the meantime, in the Far North, global warming is resulting in the tree line to advance northwards by dozens of meters each year, with bushes invading wetlands and tundra. Hotter climates also mean caribou can no more cross the ice sheets to graze northern grasslands and keep them open. 8 butterfly varieties are threatened with extinction in this area, including Freyja’s fritillary and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The largest habitat for all these pollinating insects is flower-rich grassland and that is declining quickly throughout the European continent because of all these reasons,” stated one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The good news is that so many people care now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all participating nations have to halt the drop in pollinating insects by the year 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are property owners who are involved. Let’s hope they can obtain the incentives that will assist them on their way.”
As stated by Martin Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of action for pollinating species which won’t reduce crop yields – and might boost it – such as growers establishing margins rich in flowers around their fields.
EU commissioner for environment, characterized the preservation condition of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “critical”.
“Urgent and collective action is necessary to confront this threat. In collaboration with participating nations, the Commission of the European Union has put in place an European Union-wide observation system for pollinators based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will aid in following our development. Now, we need to focus on application and cooperation with member states to safeguard our pollinating insects,” she said.
The release of the bee and butterfly assessments is subsequent to the first EU-wide evaluation of hoverflies, another vital group of pollinators. Published in 2022, it showed that over one-third of all hoverfly species in European nations were threatened with extinction.
