The count of native bee species in European nations facing disappearance has over doubled in the last ten years, and the total of endangered butterfly has close to doubled.
This dire scenario for crucial pollinating insects was disclosed by scientific assessments for the red list of threatened species, which established that at least over 170 bee species out of over 1900 were threatened with extinction in European nations.
The number of butterflies threatened with extinction in European nations has risen from over thirty-five to over sixty since the previous assessment, carried out a decade and a half ago. One species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been declared extinct.
In addition to their beauty and cultural significance, pollinators like bees and butterfly species are crucial elements for our physical condition, our food systems and our economies – sustaining the fruits, vegetables and seeds that feed us,” said Grethel Aguilar. “The newest European red list evaluations reveal major obstacles, with risks mounting for butterflies and essential wild bee species.”
The causes of the swift recent drops are the continuing damage or destruction of habitats caused by farming intensification and abandoned land, wetland drainage, overgrazing by livestock, and the utilization of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid pesticides. The fragmentation of pollinator-friendly habitat significantly raises the risk of extinctions at local level.
Climate change is also shown to be a significant danger: Over half of all endangered butterfly types in the European continent are threatened by the climate emergency – about double the number as a decade ago.
Nearly 90% of plants that flower in European nations depend on animal pollination, as per Dr Denis Michez. “Sadly, wild bee populations are in sharp decrease and are not easily replaceable by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If non-managed bees die out, many wild plants might be in danger as well – of which flower-rich meadows and attractive orchid varieties are just a couple of instances.”
Fifteen types of bumblebee types, which play a crucial role in pollinating crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bees, known for fertilizing trees such as willows and red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee exclusive to the European continent and the sole species of this biological genus in European nations, is now evaluated as severely threatened – the scientific category nearest to disappearance in the wild.
Butterfly types that are solely present on mountain tops are especially at risk to climate change as they have to climb upward as their habitats become hotter but ultimately have no room left. In Spain’s southern region, the Nevada grayling and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among more than 40% of types unique to Europe (exclusive to Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, species such as the critically endangered grayling of Karpathos are endangered by extreme drought and wildfires.
At the same time, in the Arctic Circle, climate change is causing the timberline to advance northwards by many meters each year, with underbrush encroaching on marsh and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean reindeer can not anymore cross the ice sheets to graze Arctic meadows and prevent them from overgrowing. Eight butterfly species are facing extinction in this region, including the fritillary of Freyja and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The greatest environment for all these pollinating species is flower-rich grassland and that is vanishing rapidly in European nations because of all these reasons,” stated one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The encouraging aspect is that so many individuals are aware now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the European Union nature restoration law, all member states have to reverse the decrease in pollinating species by the year 2030, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are land holders who are involved. Let’s hope they can get the incentives that will help them on their way.”
As per Warren, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of action for pollinating species which will not lower agricultural output – and may enhance it – such as farmers creating flower-rich margins around their fields.
Jessika Roswall, described the protection status of non-managed bees, butterfly species and other pollinating insects as “severe”.
“Prompt and unified steps is needed to tackle this risk. Along with member countries, the European Commission has put in place an European Union-wide monitoring system for pollinating insects based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will assist in monitoring our advancement. Now, we need to concentrate on application and partnership with participating nations to protect our pollinating species,” she said.
The publication of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies follows the pioneering Europe-wide study on hoverflies, a further crucial group of pollinators. Published in 2022, it revealed that over one-third of all hoverfly species in the European continent were threatened with extinction.
