The total of native bee types in European nations facing dying out has over doubled in the last ten years, whereas the number of at-risk butterfly types has almost doubled.
This pressing issue for vital pollinating insects was revealed by scientific studies for the IUCN red list, which established that at least 172 bee species out of nearly two thousand were at risk of extinction in the European continent.
The number of butterfly species threatened with extinction in the European continent has risen from over thirty-five to over sixty since the earlier research, conducted a decade and a half ago. A single species, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
“Beyond their beauty and cultural importance, pollinating species like bees and butterflies are essential supports for our health, our food chains and our economies – maintaining the fruits, veggies and seeds that feed us,” commented the IUCN director general. “The newest assessments of the European red list reveal major obstacles, with threats increasing for butterfly species and essential non-managed bee species.”
The reasons of the quick recent decreases are the continuing damage or destruction of habitats caused by intensive agriculture and abandoned land, draining wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the use of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoid pesticides. The fragmentation of pollinator-friendly habitat significantly raises the threat of extinctions at local level.
Global heating is also demonstrated to be a major threat: 52% of all endangered butterfly types in Europe are imperilled by the climate crisis – about twice as many as a previous decade.
Nearly nine out of ten of plants that flower in the European continent depend on insect pollination, as stated by Dr Denis Michez. “Unfortunately, wild bee populations are in drastic decline and cannot be easily replaced by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If wild bees die out, many non-cultivated plants might be threatened too – of which bloom-filled grasslands and beautiful orchid species are just a few examples.”
15 varieties of bumblebee species, which play a crucial role in fertilizing peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bees, recognized for fertilizing trees such as willows and red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type exclusive to the continent and the single type of this genus in European nations, is now assessed as severely threatened – the scientific classification most akin to extinction in the wild.
Butterfly types that are only found on high-altitude areas are especially at risk to global warming as they need to move uphill as their living spaces become warmer but eventually run out of space. In the southern part of Spain, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among over forty percent of species endemic to Europe (solely present in Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean, types such as the highly at-risk grayling of Karpathos are threatened by severe drought and wildfires.
At the same time, in the Arctic Circle, climate change is leading to the timberline to move north by dozens of meters each year, with underbrush taking over marsh and tundra. Hotter climates also mean reindeer can no more cross the ice to browse Arctic grasslands and keep them open. 8 butterfly varieties are at risk of extinction in this region, including Freyja’s fritillary and the Arctic ringlet.
“The biggest living space for all these pollinators is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is declining quickly throughout the European continent because of all these elements,” said 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 halt the decline in pollinating species by 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are landowners who are involved. We hope they can receive the motivations that will support them on their way.”
As per Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of measures for pollinating insects which will not decrease food production – and might boost it – such as farmers creating margins rich in flowers around their farmland.
Jessika Roswall, described the preservation condition of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “critical”.
“Prompt and unified steps is needed to confront this danger. In collaboration with member countries, the Commission of the European Union has implemented an EU-wide observation system for pollinating species based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will assist in monitoring our development. Now, we need to focus on implementation and cooperation with member countries to protect our pollinating insects,” she said.
The issuance of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies comes after the initial European-wide evaluation of hoverflies, a further essential pollinator group. Released in 2022, it disclosed that over one-third of all hoverfly varieties in the European continent were at risk of extinction.
