The number of non-managed bee varieties in Europe facing disappearance has more than doubled in the last ten years, whereas the total of endangered butterfly types has close to doubled.
This dire scenario for crucial pollinating species was unveiled by scientific assessments for the red list of threatened species, which found that at least one hundred seventy-two bee species out of over 1900 were at risk of extinction in the European continent.
The total of butterflies facing extinction in Europe has risen from thirty-seven to sixty-five since the last study, carried out over a decade past. One species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
In addition to their beauty and cultural importance, pollinating insects like bees along with butterflies are crucial elements for our well-being, our food chains and our economies – supporting the produce, vegetables and seeds that nourish us,” stated Grethel Aguilar. “The latest assessments of the European red list reveal serious challenges, with threats mounting for butterfly species and vital wild bee types.”
The factors of the quick recent decreases are the ongoing damage or destruction of living environments caused by intensive agriculture and deserted farmland, draining of wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoids. The breaking up of pollinator-friendly habitat greatly increases the threat of disappearances in specific areas.
Global heating is also revealed to be a primary risk: 52% of all threatened butterfly types in the European continent are imperilled by the climate emergency – approximately twofold the amount as a previous decade.
As many as ninety percent of plants that flower in Europe rely on insect pollination, as stated by the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Regrettably, wild bee colonies are in severe drop and cannot readily be substituted by domesticated hives,” he said. “If non-managed bees disappear, many native plants might be in danger as well – of which flower-rich meadows and lovely orchid types are just a handful of illustrations.”
Fifteen species of bumblebee species, which perform a vital function in aiding the pollination of peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bees, famous for fertilizing trees such as willows and red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type found only in the European continent and the only species of this biological genus in Europe, is now assessed as severely threatened – the scientific classification nearest to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterflies that are solely present on mountain tops are especially at risk to climate change as they must ascend higher as their habitats become hotter but eventually exhaust available space. In Spain’s southern region, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among above 40 percent of European endemics (exclusive to Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean, types such as the critically endangered Karpathos grayling are imperilled by severe wildfires and drought.
Meanwhile, in the Far North, climate change is leading to the timberline to move north by many meters each year, with bushes encroaching on marsh and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean reindeer can no more cross the frozen water to graze Arctic grasslands and keep them open. 8 butterfly varieties are facing extinction in this region, including the fritillary of Freyja and the Arctic ringlet.
“The largest environment for all these pollinators is flower-rich grassland and that is disappearing very fast throughout Europe because of all these reasons,” stated a lead coordinator for the butterfly assessment. “The positive thing is that so many citizens care now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the European Union nature restoration law, all participating nations have to halt the decrease in pollinating insects by 2030, and they are going to have to begin taking action. There are landowners who are involved. Let’s hope they can receive the incentives that will help them on their way.”
According to the coordinator, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of measures for pollinators which will not lower food production – and might boost it – such as agricultural producers establishing bloom-filled edges around their farmland.
EU commissioner for environment, described the conservation status of non-managed bees, butterfly species and other pollinating insects as “severe”.
“Prompt and unified steps is needed to confront this risk. Together with member states, the Commission of the European Union has implemented an European Union-wide observation system for pollinating species based on the EU nature restoration law, which will aid in following our advancement. Now, we need to focus on application and collaboration with participating nations to safeguard our pollinating species,” she said.
The publication of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies is subsequent to the initial Europe-wide evaluation of hoverflies, a further crucial group of pollinators. Issued in 2022, it showed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly species in the European continent were threatened with extinction.
