The total of native bee varieties in Europe facing extinction has increased twofold during the previous ten-year period, whereas the count of endangered butterfly types has close to doubled.
This dire scenario for essential pollinators was revealed by research studies for the IUCN red list, which established that at least one hundred seventy-two bee varieties out of over 1900 were facing extinction in Europe.
The number of butterfly species at risk of extinction in European nations has risen from over thirty-five to over sixty since the last study, conducted over a decade past. One type, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
Apart from their visual charm and cultural significance, pollinating species like bees along with butterflies are essential supports for our physical condition, our food chains and our economies – maintaining the produce, vegetables and seeds that sustain us,” stated the IUCN director general. “The most recent European red list evaluations reveal serious challenges, with threats mounting for butterfly species and vital native bee species.”
The reasons of the quick recent decreases are the continuing damage or destruction of habitats caused by farming intensification and deserted farmland, wetland drainage, overgrazing by livestock, and the application of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoids. The fragmentation of pollinator-friendly habitat greatly increases the threat of extinctions at local level.
Climate change is also revealed to be a primary risk: 52% of all at-risk butterflies in the European continent are imperilled by the climate change crisis – about twice as many as a decade ago.
As many as 90% of plants that flower in Europe rely on pollination by animals, according to Dr Denis Michez. “Unfortunately, non-managed bee groups are in severe drop and cannot readily be substituted by domesticated hives,” he said. “If wild bees disappear, many wild plants might be at risk too – of which flower-rich meadows and beautiful orchid species are just a couple of instances.”
Fifteen species of bumblebees, which have an essential part in fertilizing peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bee types, recognized for pollinating trees such as willows and red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type exclusive to the continent and the sole species of this biological genus in the European continent, is now classified as critically endangered – the scientific classification nearest to extinction in the wild.
Butterflies that are exclusively located on high-altitude areas are particularly vulnerable to global warming as they must ascend higher as their living spaces become warmer but eventually exhaust available space. In Spain’s southern region, the Nevada grayling and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among more than 40% of species endemic to Europe (only found in Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, varieties such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling butterfly are endangered by extreme dry conditions and fires.
Meanwhile, in the Arctic Circle, global warming is causing the tree line to shift northward by dozens of meters each year, with scrub encroaching on marsh and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean reindeer can not anymore cross the ice sheets to feed on Arctic meadows and keep them open. Eight butterfly species are facing extinction in this area, including the fritillary of Freyja and the Arctic ringlet.
“The largest living space for all these pollinating species is flower-rich grassland and that is declining quickly throughout Europe because of all these elements,” stated a lead coordinator for the butterfly assessment. “The encouraging aspect is that so many individuals are aware now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the European Union nature restoration law, all participating nations have to halt the decrease in pollinating insects by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to begin taking action. There are property owners who are interested. We hope they can receive the motivations that will assist them on their way.”
As stated by Warren, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of steps for pollinating species which won’t reduce food production – and might boost it – such as farmers developing flower-rich margins around their fields.
EU commissioner for environment, described the protection status of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “dire”.
“Prompt and unified steps is necessary to confront this risk. Together with participating nations, the Commission of the European Union has implemented an EU-wide observation system for pollinating insects based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will assist in monitoring our progress. Now, we need to prioritize implementation and collaboration with participating nations to safeguard our pollinating insects,” she said.
The publication of the assessments on bees and butterflies comes after the first EU-wide assessment of hoverflies, an additional vital pollinator group. Released in 2022, it disclosed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly types in Europe were threatened with extinction.
