The count of wild bee species in the European continent facing extinction has over doubled over the past decade, whereas the number of threatened butterfly types has nearly doubled.
This dire scenario for essential pollinating insects was disclosed by scientific studies for the red list of threatened species, which found that at least over 170 bee species out of 1,928 were threatened with extinction in European nations.
The count of butterfly types facing extinction in the European continent has grown from 37 to 65 since the last study, carried out over a decade past. One type, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
“Beyond their visual charm and cultural significance, pollinating insects like bees and butterflies are lifelines for our physical condition, our food chains and our financial structures – supporting the fruits, vegetables and seeds that feed us,” said the IUCN director general. “The latest European red list assessments reveal significant difficulties, with risks growing for butterfly species and vital native bee varieties.”
The factors of the swift recent drops are the continuing harm or degradation of natural habitats caused by farming intensification and deserted farmland, draining wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the utilization of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid pesticides. The fragmentation of pollinator-friendly habitat greatly increases the risk of extinctions at local level.
Global warming is also demonstrated to be a significant danger: 52% of all threatened butterflies in Europe are endangered by the climate crisis – roughly double the number as a ten years ago.
As many as ninety percent of plants that flower in the European continent depend on pollination by animals, as stated by Dr Denis Michez. “Sadly, wild bee groups are in drastic decline and are not easily replaceable by managed colonies,” he said. “If wild bees die out, many native plants might be at risk too – of which flower-rich meadows and lovely orchid types are just a couple of instances.”
Fifteen types of bumblebee types, which have an essential part in pollinating legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bees, famous for fertilizing trees such as willow trees and red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee found only in the mainland and the single type of this genus in European nations, is now evaluated as critically endangered – the research category most akin to extinction in the wild.
Butterfly species that are solely present on mountain tops are particularly vulnerable to climate change as they have to climb upward as their habitats become more heated but eventually run out of space. In Spain’s southern region, the Nevada grayling and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among above 40 percent of European endemics (exclusive to Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, types such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling are imperilled by severe drought and wildfires.
In the meantime, in the Arctic Circle, global warming is leading to the timberline to move north by tens of metres each year, with bushes invading bog and tundra. Hotter climates also mean reindeer can no longer cross the ice sheets to graze Arctic meadows and keep them open. 8 butterfly varieties are at risk of extinction in this region, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The largest environment for all these pollinating insects is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is disappearing very fast across the European continent because of all these reasons,” stated Martin Warren. “The encouraging aspect is that so many people are concerned now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all participating nations have to reverse the drop in pollinators by 2030, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are property owners who are interested. It is hoped they can obtain the incentives that will support them on their way.”
As stated by Martin Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of measures for pollinators which will not decrease crop yields – and could improve it – such as agricultural producers developing flower-rich margins around their cultivated areas.
EU commissioner for environment, characterized the preservation condition of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “severe”.
“Prompt and unified steps is necessary to confront this danger. In collaboration with member countries, the European Commission has implemented an Europe-wide monitoring system for pollinating insects based on the EU nature restoration law, which will aid in following our development. Now, we need to prioritize execution and collaboration with participating nations to protect our pollinators,” she said.
The issuance of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies is subsequent to the first EU-wide assessment of hoverflies, an additional essential pollinator group. Published in twenty-twenty-two, it disclosed that over one-third of all hoverfly species in European nations were at risk of extinction.
