The number of native bee varieties in the European continent experiencing disappearance has over doubled over the past decade, and the count of endangered butterfly types has close to doubled.
This critical situation for vital pollinators was unveiled by scientific studies for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, which determined that at least 172 bee types out of 1,928 were at risk of extinction in Europe.
The number of butterfly types threatened with extinction in Europe has increased from over thirty-five to 65 since the earlier research, performed 14 years ago. One species, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
“Beyond their visual charm and cultural importance, pollinating species like bees along with butterflies are essential supports for our health, our food supplies and our financial structures – supporting the produce, vegetables and seeds that nourish us,” commented the IUCN director general. “The most recent assessments of the European red list reveal serious challenges, with dangers increasing for butterflies and essential wild bee species.”
The causes of the rapid recent declines are the persistent destruction or damage of habitats caused by agricultural intensification and deserted farmland, wetland drainage, overgrazing by livestock, and the application of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoids. The fragmentation of environments suitable for pollinators greatly increases the danger of extinctions at local level.
Global warming is also revealed to be a major threat: Over half of all at-risk butterflies in the European continent are endangered by the climate crisis – about twofold the amount as a previous decade.
As many as 90% of blooming plants in Europe depend on animal pollination, as stated by the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Unfortunately, non-managed bee colonies are in severe drop and cannot be easily replaced by domesticated hives,” he said. “If native bees die out, many wild plants might be at risk too – of which flower-rich meadows and beautiful orchid species are just a couple of instances.”
Fifteen types of bumblebee types, which perform a vital function in pollinating peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bee species, recognized for fertilizing trees such as willows along with red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type exclusive to the mainland and the single type of this genus in Europe, is now evaluated as critically endangered – the scientific classification nearest to extinction in the wild.
Butterfly types that are solely present on high-altitude areas are particularly vulnerable to global heating as they need to move uphill as their environments become hotter but eventually run out of space. In the southern part of Spain, the Nevada grayling and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among more than 40% of types unique to Europe (only found in Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, varieties such as the critically endangered Karpathos grayling are threatened by intense wildfires and drought.
Meanwhile, in the Arctic region, global warming is causing the tree line to shift northward by tens of metres each year, with bushes encroaching on wetlands and tundra. Hotter climates also mean reindeer can no more cross the frozen water to graze Arctic meadows and maintain them clear. Eight butterfly species are at risk of extinction in this region, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The greatest environment for all these pollinators is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is disappearing very fast throughout Europe because of all these reasons,” remarked one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The positive thing is that so many citizens are aware now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member countries have to turn around the decrease in pollinators by the year 2030, and they are going to have to begin taking action. There are property owners who are involved. Let’s hope they can receive the incentives that will assist them on their way.”
According to Martin Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of action for pollinators which will not lower agricultural output – and could improve it – such as agricultural producers developing margins rich in flowers around their farmland.
EU commissioner for environment, described the preservation condition of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “dire”.
“Prompt and unified steps is required to address this danger. Together with member states, the EU Commission has established an European Union-wide tracking system for pollinating species based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will help to track our development. Now, we need to concentrate on execution and cooperation with member states to protect our pollinating species,” she said.
The publication of the bee and butterfly assessments is subsequent to the first Europe-wide assessment of hoverflies, another essential pollinating insect category. Released in 2022, it disclosed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly species in European nations were at risk of extinction.
