The count of non-managed bee types in the European continent experiencing extinction has more than doubled in the last ten years, whereas the count of endangered butterfly species has nearly doubled.
This dire scenario for crucial pollinating insects was disclosed by scientific studies for the red list of threatened species, which established that at least one hundred seventy-two bee types out of 1,928 were threatened with extinction in Europe.
The total of butterfly species at risk of extinction in Europe has grown from 37 to sixty-five since the previous assessment, carried out a decade and a half ago. One type, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
In addition to their aesthetic appeal and cultural value, pollinators like bees and butterflies are essential supports for our health, our food supplies and our financial structures – sustaining the fruits, vegetables and seeds that nourish us,” stated Grethel Aguilar. “The most recent European red list assessments reveal serious challenges, with dangers growing for butterflies and essential wild bee varieties.”
The causes of the rapid recent declines are the ongoing destruction or damage of natural habitats caused by farming intensification and abandoned land, wetland drainage, livestock overgrazing, and the utilization of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoids. The breaking up of habitat friendly to pollinators substantially boosts the threat of extinctions at local level.
Global heating is also demonstrated to be a significant danger: Over half of all endangered butterfly species in the European continent are threatened by the climate emergency – about twice as many as a previous decade.
As many as nine out of ten of plants that flower in European nations require animal pollination, according to the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Sadly, native bee groups are in drastic decline and cannot readily be substituted by domesticated hives,” he said. “If non-managed bees disappear, many native plants might be at risk too – of which flower-rich meadows and beautiful orchid species are just a couple of instances.”
Fifteen species of bumblebee types, which perform a vital function in fertilizing legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bees, recognized for fertilizing trees such as willow trees and red maples, are now classified as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee exclusive to the mainland and the sole species of this biological genus in the European continent, is now evaluated as critically at risk – the research category nearest to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterflies that are exclusively located on mountain peaks are highly susceptible to global warming as they need to move uphill as their living spaces become hotter but eventually exhaust available space. In southern Spain, the Nevada grayling and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among over forty percent of European endemics (only found in Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean, varieties such as the severely threatened Karpathos grayling are threatened by extreme 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 bushes encroaching on marsh and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean Arctic deer can no longer cross the ice to graze Arctic grasslands and keep them open. Eight types of butterflies are threatened with extinction in this region, including the fritillary of Freyja and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The greatest habitat for all these pollinating species is flower-rich grassland and that is disappearing very fast in Europe because of all these elements,” said 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 member states have to turn around the decrease in pollinating species by 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are land holders who are engaged. Let’s hope they can get the encouragements that will support them on their way.”
As stated by Martin Warren, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of steps for pollinating insects which won’t reduce food production – and might boost it – such as growers developing flower-rich margins around their cultivated areas.
EU commissioner for environment, characterized the conservation status of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “critical”.
“Prompt and unified steps is required to confront this risk. Together with participating nations, the EU Commission has implemented an Europe-wide observation system for pollinators based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will assist in monitoring our advancement. Now, we need to focus on application and collaboration with member countries to preserve our pollinators,” she said.
The release of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies comes after the initial EU-wide assessment of hoverflies, a further crucial group of pollinators. Issued in 2022, it showed that 37% of all hoverfly varieties in Europe were at risk of extinction.
