The total of native bee types in the European continent facing dying out has increased twofold over the past decade, whereas the count of threatened butterfly species has nearly doubled.
This pressing issue for crucial pollinating insects was unveiled by scientific assessments for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, which established that at least one hundred seventy-two bee species out of nearly two thousand were threatened with extinction in the European continent.
The total of butterfly species facing extinction in the European continent has risen from 37 to over sixty since the last study, conducted over a decade past. One species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
Apart from their beauty and cultural importance, pollinators like bees along with butterflies are essential supports for our health, our food systems and our economic systems – sustaining the fruits, vegetables and seeds that feed us,” commented Grethel Aguilar. “The newest European red list assessments reveal serious challenges, with dangers growing for butterfly types and crucial native bee species.”
The reasons of the rapid recent declines are the ongoing damage or destruction of habitats caused by farming intensification and land abandonment, wetland drainage, overgrazing by livestock, and the use of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoids. The breaking up of environments suitable for pollinators significantly raises the danger of local extinctions.
Global warming is also demonstrated to be a significant danger: Fifty-two percent of all threatened butterfly types in European nations are imperilled by the climate emergency – roughly double the number as a ten years ago.
Nearly nine out of ten of flowering plants in Europe depend on animal pollination, as per the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Regrettably, native bee populations are in severe drop and are not easily replaceable by domesticated hives,” he said. “If wild bees die out, many wild plants might be threatened too – of which bloom-filled grasslands and beautiful orchid species are just a couple of instances.”
Fifteen species of bumblebees, which perform a vital function in pollinating legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bee types, known for aiding tree pollination such as willow trees and red maples, are now classified as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type unique to the continent and the only species of this genus group in the European continent, is now classified as severely threatened – the scientific category nearest to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterfly species that are only found on high-altitude areas are especially at risk to global heating as they must ascend higher as their environments become more heated but eventually exhaust available space. In the southern part of Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue 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 Karpathos grayling butterfly are threatened by severe drought and wildfires.
In the meantime, in the Arctic region, climate change is causing the tree line to move north by many meters each year, with scrub taking over bog and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean caribou can no more cross the ice to feed on Arctic grasslands and keep them open. 8 butterfly varieties are at risk of extinction in this region, including the fritillary of Freyja and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The greatest environment for all these pollinating species is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is disappearing very fast throughout European nations because of all these elements,” stated Martin Warren. “The encouraging aspect is that so many citizens are concerned now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member states have to halt the drop in pollinating species by 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are land holders who are engaged. We hope they can get the encouragements that will support them on their way.”
As per Warren, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of steps for pollinating insects which won’t reduce agricultural output – and could improve it – such as farmers establishing margins rich in flowers around their fields.
the EU’s environment commissioner, portrayed the preservation condition of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “severe”.
“Urgent and collective action is needed to confront this risk. Together with member states, the EU Commission has put in place an European Union-wide monitoring system for pollinators based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will assist in monitoring our development. Now, we need to focus on application and collaboration with member states to preserve our pollinators,” she said.
The publication of the bee and butterfly assessments comes after the initial EU-wide study on hoverflies, another crucial pollinator group. Released in 2022, it disclosed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly species in Europe were facing extinction.
