The number of wild bee species in Europe facing disappearance has more than doubled over the past decade, and the count of at-risk butterfly has almost doubled.
This critical situation for vital pollinating species was disclosed by scientific assessments for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, which found that at least one hundred seventy-two bee varieties out of nearly two thousand were facing extinction in the European continent.
The number of butterfly types threatened with extinction in European nations has grown from over thirty-five to 65 since the previous assessment, performed a decade and a half ago. A single species, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
Apart from their visual charm and cultural significance, pollinating species like bees along with butterflies are essential supports for our health, our food supplies and our economic systems – maintaining the fruits, veggies and seeds that sustain us,” said the IUCN’s director general. “The newest assessments of the European red list reveal serious challenges, with dangers increasing for butterfly types and crucial non-managed bee species.”
The causes of the quick recent decreases are the persistent damage or destruction of living environments caused by farming intensification and deserted farmland, draining wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the utilization of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid chemicals. The fragmentation of pollinator-friendly habitat significantly raises the threat of local extinctions.
Global warming is also demonstrated to be a major threat: 52% of all at-risk butterfly species in European nations are imperilled by the climate change crisis – about twofold the amount as a decade ago.
Nearly 90% of flowering plants in Europe rely on pollination by animals, as per Dr Denis Michez. “Sadly, wild bee colonies are in severe drop and cannot readily be substituted by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If wild bees die out, many non-cultivated plants might be threatened too – of which flower-rich meadows and attractive orchid varieties are just a handful of illustrations.”
15 varieties of bumblebee species, which play a crucial role in fertilizing legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bees, known for aiding tree pollination such as willows and red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species exclusive to the mainland and the sole species of this genus group in Europe, is now evaluated as critically endangered – the research category closest to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterfly types that are solely present on mountain peaks are especially at risk to global heating as they must ascend higher as their environments become more heated but in the end have no room left. In the southern part of Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among over forty percent of species endemic to Europe (only found in Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean, varieties such as the critically endangered grayling of Karpathos are threatened by intense dry conditions and fires.
In the meantime, in the Arctic Circle, global heating is leading to the timberline to advance northwards by many meters each year, with scrub invading wetlands and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean caribou can no longer cross the ice sheets to feed on Arctic meadows and prevent them from overgrowing. 8 butterfly varieties are facing extinction in this region, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the Arctic ringlet.
“The largest environment for all these pollinators is grassland rich in flowers and that is declining quickly across the European continent because of all these elements,” stated a lead coordinator for the butterfly assessment. “The good news is that so many individuals are concerned now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the European Union nature restoration law, all member countries have to turn around the decrease in pollinating insects by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are landowners who are interested. It is hoped they can receive the encouragements that will help them on their way.”
According to the coordinator, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of measures for pollinators which won’t reduce agricultural output – and might boost it – such as farmers developing margins rich in flowers around their fields.
Jessika Roswall, portrayed the protection status of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “severe”.
“Immediate and joint measures is required to address this threat. In collaboration with participating nations, the EU Commission has put in place an EU-wide tracking system for pollinating species based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will help to track our advancement. Now, we need to concentrate on execution and collaboration with member states to safeguard our pollinators,” she said.
The release of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies comes after the first Europe-wide evaluation of hoverflies, another crucial pollinator group. Issued in 2022, it disclosed that over one-third of all hoverfly types in the European continent were facing extinction.
