The count of native bee varieties in the European continent experiencing disappearance has more than doubled in the last ten years, and the number of endangered butterfly types has close to doubled.
This critical situation for vital pollinating species was revealed by scientific assessments for the red list of threatened species, which determined that at least one hundred seventy-two bee types out of over 1900 were threatened with extinction in the European continent.
The count of butterfly types facing extinction in European nations has risen from over thirty-five to over sixty since the previous assessment, carried out 14 years ago. One species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
In addition to their visual charm and cultural importance, pollinating species like bees along with butterflies are essential supports for our health, our food chains and our economic systems – supporting the produce, vegetables and seeds that feed us,” commented Grethel Aguilar. “The newest European red list evaluations reveal major obstacles, with risks growing for butterfly types and crucial native bee types.”
The reasons of the quick recent decreases are the persistent harm or degradation of living environments caused by agricultural intensification and land abandonment, draining wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the utilization of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid pesticides. The breaking up of habitat friendly to pollinators significantly raises the risk of extinctions at local level.
Global warming is also demonstrated to be a significant danger: Over half of all endangered butterflies in the European continent are threatened by the climate crisis – roughly twofold the amount as a ten years ago.
Up to 90% of blooming plants in Europe depend on insect pollination, according to the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Sadly, wild bee populations are in sharp decrease and cannot readily be substituted by domesticated hives,” he said. “If native bees die out, many non-cultivated plants might be in danger as well – of which meadows rich in flowers and attractive orchid varieties are just a few examples.”
Fifteen types of bumblebee species, which have an essential part in fertilizing crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bee types, famous for aiding tree pollination such as willow trees and red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee exclusive to the European continent and the single type of this genus in the European continent, is now assessed as critically endangered – the scientific category closest to extinction in the wild.
Butterflies that are exclusively located on mountain peaks are highly susceptible to climate change as they need to move uphill as their living spaces become more heated but eventually exhaust available space. In southern Spain, the Nevada grayling and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among more than 40% of types unique to Europe (exclusive to Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, species such as the severely threatened Karpathos grayling butterfly are endangered by extreme dry conditions and fires.
At the same time, in the Far North, global warming is resulting in the forest boundary to move north by dozens of meters each year, with scrub taking over marsh and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean caribou can no more cross the ice sheets to browse Arctic meadows and maintain them clear. Eight types of butterflies are threatened with extinction in this region, including the fritillary of Freyja and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The biggest habitat for all these pollinating insects is grassland rich in flowers and that is vanishing rapidly across European nations because of all these elements,” stated a lead coordinator for the butterfly assessment. “The positive thing is that so many people care now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all participating nations have to halt the decline in pollinators by 2030, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are landowners who are engaged. Let’s hope they can receive the encouragements that will support them on their way.”
According to Warren, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of steps for pollinating species which will not lower food production – and may enhance it – such as growers establishing flower-rich margins around their fields.
the EU’s environment commissioner, portrayed the conservation status of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “dire”.
“Prompt and unified steps is required to confront this danger. Along with member states, the Commission of the European Union has established an Europe-wide observation system for pollinators based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will assist in monitoring our development. Now, we need to focus on implementation and partnership with participating nations to protect our pollinators,” she said.
The publication of the bee and butterfly assessments is subsequent to the initial Europe-wide assessment of hoverflies, another crucial pollinator group. Published in twenty-twenty-two, it disclosed that over one-third of all hoverfly varieties in European nations were threatened with extinction.
