The count of non-managed bee types in Europe facing dying out has increased twofold over the past decade, whereas the total of threatened butterfly types has almost doubled.
This dire scenario for crucial pollinators was unveiled by scientific studies for the red list of threatened species, which established that at least 172 bee types out of over 1900 were facing extinction in Europe.
The total of butterflies at risk of extinction in Europe has risen from over thirty-five to over sixty since the last study, conducted 14 years ago. One type, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been declared extinct.
“Beyond their beauty and cultural importance, pollinators like bees and butterflies are lifelines for our physical condition, our food systems and our economic systems – maintaining the produce, vegetables and seeds that nourish us,” commented Grethel Aguilar. “The most recent European red list assessments reveal major obstacles, with risks increasing for butterfly types and essential non-managed bee species.”
The reasons of the swift recent drops are the persistent destruction or damage of natural habitats caused by farming intensification and land abandonment, draining of wetlands, excessive grazing by animals, and the application of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoids. The division of environments suitable for pollinators greatly increases the risk of extinctions at local level.
Global warming is also shown to be a primary risk: 52% of all endangered butterfly types in the European continent are imperilled by the climate crisis – roughly double the number as a previous decade.
Nearly ninety percent of plants that flower in Europe require pollination by animals, as per the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Unfortunately, wild bee populations are in sharp decrease and cannot be easily replaced by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If non-managed bees disappear, many wild plants might be threatened too – of which bloom-filled grasslands and lovely orchid types are just a handful of illustrations.”
Fifteen types of bumblebee species, which perform a vital function in pollinating peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bee species, known for pollinating trees such as willow trees and red maples, are now classified as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species found only in the mainland and the only species of this biological genus in European nations, is now classified as critically endangered – the research category most akin to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterfly species that are only found on mountain tops are highly susceptible to global heating as they have to climb upward as their habitats become more heated but ultimately exhaust available space. 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 (solely present in Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, types such as the critically endangered grayling of Karpathos are imperilled by intense dry conditions and fires.
At the same time, in the Arctic region, climate change is resulting in the forest boundary to move north by tens of metres each year, with underbrush encroaching on marsh and tundra. Hotter climates also mean caribou can no longer cross the frozen water to feed on Arctic grasslands and prevent them from overgrowing. Eight types of butterflies are at risk of extinction in this zone, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the Arctic ringlet.
“The greatest living space for all these pollinating species is grassland rich in flowers and that is declining quickly in European nations because of all these factors,” remarked one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The positive thing is that so many people care now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all member states have to reverse the decrease in pollinators by the year 2030, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are property owners who are engaged. Let’s hope they can get the motivations that will assist them on their way.”
According to Warren, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of measures for pollinating species which will not decrease food production – and may enhance it – such as farmers establishing margins rich in flowers around their fields.
the EU’s environment commissioner, portrayed the protection status of non-managed bees, butterfly species and other pollinating insects as “critical”.
“Prompt and unified steps is needed to confront this risk. In collaboration with participating nations, the European Commission has implemented an EU-wide monitoring system for pollinating insects based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will assist in monitoring our progress. Now, we need to prioritize implementation and cooperation with member states to protect our pollinating insects,” she said.
The issuance of the assessments on bees and butterflies follows the pioneering European-wide study on hoverflies, an additional vital pollinating insect category. Published in 2022, it disclosed that 37% of all hoverfly types in European nations were at risk of extinction.
