The total of native bee varieties in Europe facing extinction has increased twofold during the previous ten-year period, and the total of threatened butterfly types has almost doubled.
This dire scenario for crucial pollinators was revealed by research studies for the red list of threatened species, which determined that at least one hundred seventy-two bee species out of nearly two thousand were threatened with extinction in Europe.
The total of butterfly species threatened with extinction in the European continent has risen from 37 to 65 since the previous assessment, performed a decade and a half ago. One species, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
In addition to their aesthetic appeal and cultural importance, pollinators like bees and butterfly species are crucial elements for our health, our food supplies and our economies – sustaining the produce, vegetables and seeds that sustain us,” commented the IUCN’s director general. “The latest European red list evaluations reveal serious challenges, with dangers growing for butterfly types and essential non-managed bee types.”
The causes of the rapid recent declines are the ongoing damage or destruction of habitats caused by intensive agriculture and abandoned land, wetland drainage, livestock overgrazing, and the use of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoid chemicals. The fragmentation of pollinator-friendly habitat substantially boosts the risk of extinctions at local level.
Climate change is also demonstrated to be a primary risk: 52% of all endangered butterflies in European nations are imperilled by the climate change crisis – roughly twice as many as a previous decade.
As many as nine out of ten of flowering plants in European nations depend on insect pollination, according to Dr Denis Michez. “Sadly, native bee populations are in sharp decrease and cannot readily be substituted by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If non-managed bees disappear, many native plants might be threatened too – of which bloom-filled grasslands and attractive orchid varieties are just a few examples.”
Fifteen types of bumblebee species, which have an essential part in pollinating peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bee types, famous for pollinating trees such as willow trees and red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species unique to the continent and the single type of this genus in the European continent, is now classified as severely threatened – the scientific classification nearest to extinction in the wild.
Butterflies that are exclusively located on high-altitude areas are particularly vulnerable to global warming as they have to climb upward as their habitats become warmer but eventually exhaust available space. In southern Spain, the Nevada grayling and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among above 40 percent of types unique to Europe (exclusive to Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, species such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling are imperilled by intense drought and wildfires.
At the same time, in the Arctic region, global warming is causing the tree line to shift northward by tens of metres each year, with scrub taking over wetlands and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean reindeer can not anymore cross the ice sheets to browse Arctic meadows and prevent them from overgrowing. 8 butterfly varieties are facing extinction in this area, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the Arctic ringlet.
“The largest habitat for all these pollinating species is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is vanishing rapidly across the European continent because of all these factors,” remarked one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The encouraging aspect is that so many people are concerned now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all participating nations have to turn around the decrease in pollinators by the year 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are landowners who are interested. We hope they can get the motivations that will support them on their way.”
According to Warren, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of steps for pollinators which will not decrease food production – and could improve it – such as farmers creating bloom-filled edges around their fields.
EU commissioner for environment, described the protection status of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “severe”.
“Prompt and unified steps is necessary to confront this danger. Together with participating nations, the EU Commission has put in place an European Union-wide observation system for pollinating insects based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will assist in monitoring our advancement. Now, we need to prioritize execution and collaboration with member states to preserve our pollinators,” she said.
The release of the bee and butterfly assessments follows the initial Europe-wide study on hoverflies, an additional vital pollinator group. Issued in twenty-twenty-two, it showed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly types in European nations were threatened with extinction.
