The total of wild bee types in the European continent experiencing disappearance has more than doubled during the previous ten-year period, whereas the total of threatened butterfly species has almost doubled.
This pressing issue for essential pollinating species was unveiled by scientific studies for the IUCN red list, which established that at least 172 bee varieties out of 1,928 were at risk of extinction in European nations.
The count of butterfly species threatened with extinction in the European continent has increased from thirty-seven to 65 since the previous assessment, carried out 14 years ago. One type, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
In addition to their visual charm and cultural significance, pollinating insects like bees along with butterflies are crucial elements for our well-being, our food chains and our economic systems – sustaining the fruits, veggies and seeds that nourish us,” said the IUCN director general. “The newest European red list assessments reveal major obstacles, with threats growing for butterfly types and crucial non-managed bee types.”
The causes of the quick recent decreases are the continuing harm or degradation of living environments caused by farming intensification and abandoned land, draining wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoids. The breaking up of environments suitable for pollinators greatly increases the risk of local extinctions.
Global warming is also shown to be a significant danger: Over half of all endangered butterfly types in European nations are imperilled by the climate crisis – approximately double the number as a decade ago.
As many as 90% of blooming plants in the European continent rely on insect pollination, according to the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Regrettably, native bee colonies are in severe drop and are not easily replaceable by domesticated hives,” he said. “If non-managed bees disappear, many wild plants might be threatened too – of which meadows rich in flowers and lovely orchid types are just a handful of illustrations.”
15 varieties of bumblebees, which have an essential part in fertilizing legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bee species, famous for pollinating trees such as willow trees and red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee unique to the European continent and the sole species of this genus in Europe, is now classified as critically endangered – the scientific category most akin to disappearance in the wild.
Butterfly species that are only found on high-altitude areas are highly susceptible to global warming as they need to move uphill as their living spaces become hotter but ultimately exhaust available space. In the southern part of Spain, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among above 40 percent of species endemic to Europe (solely present in Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean, varieties such as the critically endangered grayling of Karpathos are threatened by extreme wildfires and drought.
At the same time, in the Arctic region, climate change is resulting in the forest boundary to move north by tens of metres each year, with bushes invading wetlands and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean caribou can not anymore cross the ice sheets to feed on Arctic grasslands and prevent them from overgrowing. Eight types of butterflies are facing extinction in this area, including Freyja’s fritillary and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The greatest environment for all these pollinating species is grassland rich in flowers and that is disappearing very fast in the European continent because of all these elements,” stated Martin Warren. “The good news is that so many individuals are aware now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all participating nations have to reverse the decrease in pollinators by 2030, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are landowners who are involved. Let’s hope they can obtain the encouragements that will support them on their way.”
According to Martin Warren, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of steps for pollinating insects which won’t reduce agricultural output – and could improve it – such as agricultural producers creating margins rich in flowers around their cultivated areas.
the EU’s environment commissioner, portrayed the preservation condition of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “dire”.
“Immediate and joint measures is necessary to address this danger. Together with participating nations, the EU Commission has put in place an European Union-wide monitoring system for pollinators based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will help to track our progress. Now, we need to focus on implementation and collaboration with participating nations to preserve our pollinating species,” she said.
The issuance of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies follows the initial Europe-wide evaluation of hoverflies, a further crucial group of pollinators. Published in 2022, it revealed that over one-third of all hoverfly types in the European continent were threatened with extinction.
