The number of native bee varieties in European nations confronting dying out has increased twofold during the previous ten-year period, and the count of at-risk butterfly has close to doubled.
This dire scenario for crucial pollinators was revealed by scientific studies for the red list of threatened species, which established that at least one hundred seventy-two bee species out of nearly two thousand were at risk of extinction in Europe.
The count of butterfly types threatened with extinction in European nations has grown from thirty-seven to over sixty 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 beauty and cultural value, pollinating insects like bees and butterflies are crucial elements for our health, our food systems and our economic systems – supporting the fruits, veggies and seeds that nourish us,” commented Grethel Aguilar. “The newest assessments of the European red list reveal significant difficulties, with dangers increasing for butterflies and essential wild bee types.”
The factors of the quick recent decreases are the persistent harm or degradation of natural habitats caused by agricultural intensification and land abandonment, wetland drainage, livestock overgrazing, and the application of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoid pesticides. The division of habitat friendly to pollinators substantially boosts the risk of local extinctions.
Global warming is also shown to be a major threat: Fifty-two percent of all threatened butterfly types in the European continent are imperilled by the climate emergency – about twice as many as a ten years ago.
Up to ninety percent of plants that flower in Europe depend on animal pollination, as per the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Unfortunately, native bee groups are in drastic decline and are not easily replaceable by managed colonies,” he said. “If wild 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 types of bumblebees, which play a crucial role in pollinating legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bee types, known for fertilizing trees such as willows and red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee found only in the continent and the only species of this biological genus in Europe, is now classified as critically endangered – the research category most akin to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterfly types that are only found on mountain tops are highly susceptible to global heating as they must ascend higher as their habitats become more heated but ultimately exhaust available space. In the southern part of Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among above 40 percent of species endemic to Europe (exclusive to Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean, species such as the critically endangered Karpathos grayling are endangered by severe dry conditions and fires.
In the meantime, in the Far North, global warming is leading to the forest boundary to shift northward by tens of metres each year, with underbrush taking over wetlands and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean reindeer can no longer cross the frozen water to feed on Arctic meadows and prevent them from overgrowing. 8 butterfly varieties are threatened with extinction in this area, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The largest living space for all these pollinating species is grassland rich in flowers and that is declining quickly across Europe because of all these factors,” remarked Martin Warren. “The good news is that so many citizens are concerned now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member countries have to turn around the decline in pollinating insects by 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are property owners who are interested. It is hoped they can obtain the encouragements that will assist them on their way.”
As stated by Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of measures for pollinating insects which will not decrease crop yields – and could improve it – such as agricultural producers creating margins rich in flowers around their fields.
Jessika Roswall, portrayed the conservation status of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “severe”.
“Urgent and collective action is necessary to confront this risk. In collaboration with member countries, the EU Commission has implemented an EU-wide observation system for pollinators based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will aid in following our advancement. Now, we need to prioritize application and cooperation with member countries to preserve our pollinating species,” she said.
The publication of the bee and butterfly assessments follows the pioneering EU-wide study on hoverflies, another essential pollinating insect category. Published in 2022, it disclosed that over one-third of all hoverfly species in the European continent were facing extinction.
