The count of non-managed bee species in European nations facing dying out has increased twofold over the past decade, while the number of threatened butterfly has close to doubled.
This pressing issue for crucial pollinating insects was revealed by scientific studies for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, which determined that at least over 170 bee varieties out of over 1900 were at risk of extinction in European nations.
The count of butterflies at risk of extinction in European nations has risen from thirty-seven to sixty-five since the earlier research, conducted over a decade past. One species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
In addition to their visual charm and cultural significance, pollinators like bees and butterfly species are crucial elements for our well-being, our food chains and our economic systems – maintaining the produce, vegetables and seeds that feed us,” stated the IUCN’s director general. “The latest European red list assessments reveal serious challenges, with risks increasing for butterfly species and essential wild bee types.”
The factors of the quick recent decreases are the persistent damage or destruction of habitats caused by farming intensification and abandoned land, wetland drainage, overgrazing by livestock, and the application of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoid pesticides. The breaking up of environments suitable for pollinators substantially boosts the danger of local extinctions.
Climate change is also demonstrated to be a primary risk: 52% of all threatened butterfly species in European nations are endangered by the climate crisis – about double the number as a decade ago.
Up to 90% of plants that flower in the European continent rely on animal pollination, as per the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Unfortunately, native bee colonies are in severe drop and are not easily replaceable by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If wild bees die out, many wild plants might be in danger as well – of which flower-rich meadows and attractive orchid varieties are just a handful of illustrations.”
Fifteen species of bumblebee species, which have an essential part in fertilizing peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bee species, famous for fertilizing trees such as willow trees and red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type found only in the mainland and the only species of this genus in the European continent, is now classified as critically at risk – the scientific classification closest to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterfly species that are solely present on mountain tops are particularly vulnerable to global heating as they need to move uphill as their living spaces become warmer but eventually exhaust available space. In southern Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among above 40 percent of types unique to Europe (solely present in Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, types such as the highly at-risk grayling of Karpathos are endangered by severe drought and wildfires.
In the meantime, in the Arctic region, global heating is leading to the timberline to shift northward by dozens of meters each year, with bushes invading wetlands and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean Arctic deer can no longer cross the ice sheets to browse Arctic grasslands and keep them open. Eight types of butterflies are facing extinction in this zone, including Freyja’s fritillary and the Arctic ringlet.
“The greatest habitat for all these pollinating species is grassland rich in flowers and that is vanishing rapidly throughout Europe because of all these elements,” said a lead coordinator for the butterfly assessment. “The positive thing is that so many citizens are concerned now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all participating nations have to halt the decrease in pollinating species by the year 2030, and they are going to have to begin taking action. There are landowners who are involved. We hope they can get the motivations that will help them on their way.”
As stated by Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of action for pollinating insects which will not decrease agricultural output – and may enhance it – such as agricultural producers developing flower-rich margins around their farmland.
EU commissioner for environment, characterized the preservation condition of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “critical”.
“Immediate and joint measures is required to tackle this risk. Along with member states, the European Commission has put in place an EU-wide monitoring system for pollinating species based on the EU nature restoration law, which will help to track our development. Now, we need to prioritize implementation and partnership with member states to preserve our pollinating species,” she said.
The issuance of the bee and butterfly assessments comes after the pioneering EU-wide assessment of hoverflies, a further vital group of pollinators. Released in twenty-twenty-two, it revealed that over one-third of all hoverfly species in the European continent were facing extinction.
