The count of wild bee species in European nations experiencing disappearance has over doubled in the last ten years, while the count of at-risk butterfly has nearly doubled.
This pressing issue for crucial pollinating species was unveiled by research studies for the IUCN red list, which found that at least one hundred seventy-two bee varieties out of over 1900 were at risk of extinction in the European continent.
The number of butterfly species facing extinction in the European continent has risen from thirty-seven to over sixty since the last study, carried out a decade and a half ago. One type, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
Apart from their visual charm and cultural significance, pollinators like bees and butterfly species are essential supports for our health, our food systems and our economies – supporting the produce, vegetables and seeds that feed us,” stated the IUCN’s director general. “The latest European red list assessments reveal major obstacles, with risks increasing for butterfly species and essential native bee varieties.”
The reasons of the rapid recent declines are the persistent destruction or damage of natural habitats caused by intensive agriculture and deserted farmland, draining of wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoids. The breaking up of habitat friendly to pollinators significantly raises the threat of local extinctions.
Global heating is also shown to be a primary risk: Over half of all threatened butterflies in Europe are imperilled by the climate crisis – roughly twice as many as a previous decade.
As many as ninety percent of flowering plants in the European continent depend on pollination by animals, as per Dr Denis Michez. “Unfortunately, wild bee groups are in severe drop and are not easily replaceable by managed colonies,” he said. “If non-managed bees disappear, many non-cultivated plants might be in danger as well – of which flower-rich meadows and attractive orchid varieties are just a handful of illustrations.”
Fifteen types of bumblebees, which play a crucial role in fertilizing legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bees, recognized for aiding tree pollination such as willow trees and red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee unique to the mainland and the single type of this biological genus in Europe, is now classified as severely threatened – the research category closest to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterfly types that are solely present on high-altitude areas are particularly vulnerable to global warming as they need to move uphill as their living spaces become warmer but ultimately exhaust available space. In Spain’s southern region, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among above 40 percent of types unique to Europe (solely present in Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, varieties such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling butterfly are imperilled by extreme dry conditions and fires.
Meanwhile, in the Arctic Circle, global warming is leading to the timberline to shift northward by tens of metres each year, with underbrush encroaching on marsh and tundra. Hotter climates also mean Arctic deer can no more cross the frozen water to graze Arctic grasslands and maintain them clear. Eight types of butterflies are at risk of extinction in this area, including Freyja’s fritillary and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The largest living space for all these pollinating insects is flower-rich grassland and that is declining quickly in Europe because of all these reasons,” said one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The positive thing is that so many individuals are concerned now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all member states have to reverse the decline in pollinators by the year 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are landowners who are engaged. Let’s hope they can receive the encouragements 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 crop yields – and could improve it – such as agricultural producers establishing margins rich in flowers around their cultivated areas.
the EU’s environment commissioner, described the protection status of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “critical”.
“Immediate and joint measures is needed to tackle this danger. In collaboration with member states, the EU Commission has established an Europe-wide observation system for pollinating insects based on the EU nature restoration law, which will assist in monitoring our advancement. Now, we need to concentrate on implementation and partnership with member states to safeguard our pollinating insects,” she said.
The issuance of the bee and butterfly assessments comes after the initial EU-wide evaluation of hoverflies, an additional vital group of pollinators. Released in twenty-twenty-two, it showed that 37% of all hoverfly types in Europe were at risk of extinction.
