The number of wild bee species in Europe confronting disappearance has more than doubled in the last ten years, while the count of threatened butterfly has close to doubled.
This pressing issue for essential pollinating species was unveiled by scientific assessments for the red list of threatened species, which found that at least 172 bee species out of nearly two thousand were facing extinction in Europe.
The number of butterfly types threatened with extinction in European nations has increased from thirty-seven to sixty-five since the earlier research, carried out a decade and a half ago. One species, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
“Beyond their aesthetic appeal and cultural importance, pollinating species like bees and butterfly species are lifelines for our health, our food supplies and our economies – supporting the produce, vegetables and seeds that nourish us,” stated the IUCN’s director general. “The latest European red list evaluations reveal significant difficulties, with dangers increasing for butterflies and vital wild bee types.”
The causes of the swift recent drops are the continuing damage or destruction of habitats caused by agricultural intensification and deserted farmland, draining of wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the use of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid chemicals. The fragmentation of pollinator-friendly habitat significantly raises the danger of disappearances in specific areas.
Global heating is also shown to be a significant danger: Fifty-two percent of all threatened butterfly species in Europe are threatened by the climate change crisis – roughly twice as many as a decade ago.
Nearly ninety percent of plants that flower in the European continent require animal pollination, as per Dr Denis Michez. “Unfortunately, native bee groups are in severe drop and are not easily replaceable by managed colonies,” he said. “If native bees disappear, many wild plants might be in danger as well – of which meadows rich in flowers and attractive orchid varieties are just a few examples.”
Fifteen types of bumblebee types, which play a crucial role in fertilizing crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bee types, recognized for fertilizing trees such as willow trees and red maples, are now classified as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species exclusive to the continent and the only species of this biological genus in the European continent, is now classified as critically at risk – the scientific category most akin to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterfly types that are only found on mountain tops are highly susceptible to global warming as they have to climb upward as their living spaces become warmer but eventually have no room left. In southern Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among over forty percent of European endemics (only found in Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, varieties such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling butterfly are endangered by severe dry conditions and fires.
In the meantime, in the Arctic region, global heating is causing the tree line to shift northward by tens of metres each year, with scrub taking over wetlands and tundra. Hotter climates also mean Arctic deer can not anymore cross the ice to feed on Arctic grasslands and prevent them from overgrowing. Eight types of butterflies are threatened with extinction in this area, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The largest living space for all these pollinating species is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is disappearing very fast throughout the European continent because of all these reasons,” remarked one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The encouraging aspect is that so many citizens are concerned now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member states have to reverse the drop in pollinators by the year 2030, and they are going to have to begin taking action. There are landowners who are engaged. We hope they can receive the encouragements that will help them on their way.”
As per Martin Warren, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of steps for pollinators which won’t reduce crop yields – and might boost it – such as agricultural producers creating flower-rich margins around their farmland.
EU commissioner for environment, characterized the protection status of non-managed bees, butterfly species and other pollinating insects as “severe”.
“Prompt and unified steps is needed to confront this risk. In collaboration with participating nations, the EU Commission has put in place an EU-wide tracking system for pollinators based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will help to track our development. Now, we need to prioritize application and collaboration with member countries to preserve our pollinating insects,” she said.
The release of the assessments on bees and butterflies comes after the first EU-wide study on hoverflies, a further crucial pollinating insect category. Issued in 2022, it disclosed that over one-third of all hoverfly varieties in the European continent were facing extinction.
