The total of non-managed bee species in European nations confronting disappearance has more than doubled during the previous ten-year period, whereas the number of threatened butterfly species has nearly doubled.
This pressing issue for essential pollinating species was disclosed by scientific studies for the red list of threatened species, which found that at least 172 bee types out of nearly two thousand were at risk of extinction in the European continent.
The total of butterfly types threatened with extinction in European nations has increased from thirty-seven to 65 since the previous assessment, performed 14 years ago. One species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
Apart from their beauty and cultural value, pollinators like bees along with butterflies are crucial elements for our health, our food chains and our financial structures – supporting the produce, vegetables and seeds that feed us,” said the IUCN director general. “The newest European red list evaluations reveal serious challenges, with risks mounting for butterfly species and vital non-managed bee varieties.”
The causes of the rapid recent declines are the continuing damage or destruction of habitats caused by intensive agriculture and deserted farmland, draining wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the application of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoid pesticides. The breaking up of habitat friendly to pollinators greatly increases the danger of extinctions at local level.
Global heating is also revealed to be a primary risk: Fifty-two percent of all endangered butterfly species in the European continent are endangered by the climate emergency – about double the number as a ten years ago.
Up to ninety percent of flowering plants in the European continent rely on insect pollination, as per the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Regrettably, wild bee groups are in severe drop and cannot readily be substituted by domesticated hives,” he said. “If non-managed bees vanish, many wild plants might be threatened too – of which meadows rich in flowers and beautiful orchid species are just a few examples.”
Fifteen types of bumblebees, which perform a vital function in pollinating peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bees, recognized 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 European continent and the sole species of this genus in Europe, is now classified as critically at risk – the scientific classification most akin to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterfly species that are only found on mountain peaks are highly susceptible to climate change as they have to climb upward as their living spaces become hotter but ultimately exhaust available space. In the southern part of Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among above 40 percent of types unique to Europe (solely present in Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean, types such as the critically endangered Karpathos grayling butterfly are threatened by intense wildfires and drought.
At the same time, in the Far North, global heating is leading to the forest boundary to shift northward by dozens of meters each year, with underbrush invading marsh and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean Arctic deer can no more cross the ice sheets to browse Arctic meadows and keep them open. Eight types of butterflies are facing extinction in this zone, including Freyja’s fritillary and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The greatest living space for all these pollinating species is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is disappearing very fast across Europe because of all these factors,” stated one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The encouraging aspect is that so many people are aware now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the European Union nature restoration law, all member countries have to reverse the drop in pollinating insects by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are property owners who are interested. It is hoped they can obtain the motivations that will assist them on their way.”
According to Martin Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of action for pollinators which will not lower food production – and could improve it – such as farmers establishing bloom-filled edges around their fields.
Jessika Roswall, characterized the preservation condition of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “critical”.
“Prompt and unified steps is needed to confront this threat. Together with member countries, the European Commission has implemented an Europe-wide monitoring system for pollinating insects based on the EU nature restoration law, which will help to track our development. Now, we need to concentrate on application and partnership with participating nations to safeguard our pollinating insects,” she said.
The issuance of the bee and butterfly assessments follows the first Europe-wide evaluation of hoverflies, an additional essential pollinator group. Published in twenty-twenty-two, it revealed that over one-third of all hoverfly types in Europe were threatened with extinction.
