The number of non-managed bee species in European nations confronting disappearance has increased twofold over the past decade, whereas the number of at-risk butterfly types has close to doubled.
This pressing issue for vital pollinating species was disclosed by scientific studies for the IUCN red list, which established that at least over 170 bee types out of over 1900 were at risk of extinction in Europe.
The number of butterfly species threatened with extinction in Europe has grown from 37 to 65 since the last study, carried out a decade and a half ago. A single species, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been declared extinct.
In addition to their visual charm and cultural significance, pollinators like bees and butterfly species are lifelines for our health, our food systems and our economic systems – sustaining the fruits, vegetables and seeds that sustain us,” commented the IUCN’s director general. “The newest European red list assessments reveal major obstacles, with threats growing for butterflies and vital native bee types.”
The factors of the rapid recent declines are the continuing destruction or damage of living environments caused by intensive agriculture and land abandonment, wetland drainage, overgrazing by livestock, and the application of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid pesticides. The breaking up of habitat friendly to pollinators substantially boosts the danger of extinctions at local level.
Climate change is also demonstrated to be a major threat: Over half of all threatened butterfly types in Europe are imperilled by the climate emergency – about twice as many as a ten years ago.
Nearly nine out of ten of flowering plants in European nations require insect pollination, as per the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Regrettably, wild bee groups are in drastic decline and cannot be easily replaced by domesticated hives,” he said. “If non-managed bees vanish, many native plants might be threatened too – of which meadows rich in flowers and beautiful orchid species are just a few examples.”
Fifteen types of bumblebee species, which have an essential part in fertilizing peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bee species, famous for fertilizing trees such as willows and red maples, are now classified as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee found only in the mainland and the sole species of this biological genus in the European continent, is now classified as severely threatened – the scientific category closest to extinction in the wild.
Butterfly species that are only found on high-altitude areas are particularly vulnerable to global warming as they need to move uphill as their environments become hotter but in the end have no room left. In southern Spain, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among above 40 percent of European endemics (only found in Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, species such as the severely threatened grayling of Karpathos are threatened by severe drought and wildfires.
Meanwhile, in the Arctic Circle, global heating is causing the tree line to advance northwards by dozens of meters each year, with scrub invading bog and tundra. Hotter climates also mean reindeer can no more cross the ice to browse Arctic grasslands and prevent them from overgrowing. Eight types of butterflies are facing extinction in this area, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the Arctic ringlet.
“The greatest environment for all these pollinators is grassland rich in flowers and that is declining quickly in the European continent because of all these elements,” said a lead coordinator for the butterfly assessment. “The good news is that so many people are concerned now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the European Union nature restoration law, all participating nations have to halt the decline in pollinating species by the year 2030, and they are going to have to begin taking action. There are landowners who are involved. It is hoped they can receive the motivations that will help them on their way.”
As stated by Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of action for pollinating species which won’t reduce food production – and may enhance it – such as agricultural producers developing flower-rich margins around their fields.
Jessika Roswall, characterized the conservation status of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “dire”.
“Urgent and collective action is needed to confront this danger. Along with participating nations, the European Commission has established an EU-wide tracking system for pollinating insects based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will assist in monitoring our progress. Now, we need to focus on execution and collaboration with participating nations to safeguard our pollinating insects,” she said.
The issuance of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies comes after the pioneering Europe-wide evaluation of hoverflies, a further vital group of pollinators. Published in twenty-twenty-two, it disclosed that over one-third of all hoverfly types in the European continent were at risk of extinction.
