The count of wild bee types in Europe experiencing extinction has more than doubled in the last ten years, and the total of at-risk butterfly has nearly doubled.
This dire scenario for vital pollinating insects was disclosed by research studies for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, which determined that at least one hundred seventy-two bee varieties out of 1,928 were threatened with extinction in Europe.
The count of butterfly types at risk of extinction in European nations has risen from over thirty-five to 65 since the last study, performed 14 years ago. One type, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
“Beyond their beauty and cultural value, pollinating insects like bees and butterfly species are essential supports for our physical condition, our food supplies and our economies – maintaining the produce, vegetables and seeds that nourish us,” commented the IUCN director general. “The latest assessments of the European red list reveal major obstacles, with dangers mounting for butterflies and essential wild bee varieties.”
The reasons of the swift recent drops are the persistent harm or degradation of living environments caused by agricultural intensification and land abandonment, draining wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the application of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoid chemicals. The fragmentation of environments suitable for pollinators significantly raises the danger of extinctions at local level.
Climate change is also shown to be a primary risk: 52% of all at-risk butterflies in Europe are endangered by the climate crisis – approximately twice as many as a ten years ago.
Nearly nine out of ten of plants that flower in Europe depend on insect pollination, according to the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Unfortunately, native bee colonies are in severe drop and cannot readily be substituted by managed colonies,” he said. “If non-managed bees die out, many wild plants might be at risk too – of which meadows rich in flowers and beautiful orchid species are just a couple of instances.”
15 varieties of bumblebee types, which have an essential part in fertilizing legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bees, known for fertilizing trees such as willows and red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type found only in the mainland and the sole species of this genus group in the European continent, is now assessed as critically endangered – the scientific category closest to disappearance in the wild.
Butterfly types that are only found on mountain peaks are particularly vulnerable to global heating as they need to move uphill as their environments become warmer but in the end run out of space. In southern Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among above 40 percent of types unique to Europe (exclusive to Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, species such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling butterfly are imperilled by severe wildfires and drought.
Meanwhile, in the Far North, climate change is resulting in the timberline to advance northwards by tens of metres each year, with underbrush encroaching on wetlands and tundra. Hotter climates also mean Arctic deer can no more cross the ice sheets to feed on Arctic grasslands and prevent them from overgrowing. Eight butterfly species are at risk of extinction in this region, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the Arctic ringlet.
“The largest living space for all these pollinating insects is grassland rich in flowers and that is vanishing rapidly throughout Europe because of all these reasons,” said Martin Warren. “The good news is that so many people care now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all member countries have to halt the decrease in pollinating insects by 2030, and they are going to have to begin taking action. There are property owners who are involved. We hope they can obtain the incentives that will help them on their way.”
As per Martin Warren, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of action for pollinating insects which will not lower food production – and could improve it – such as growers creating margins rich in flowers around their farmland.
EU commissioner for environment, characterized the preservation condition of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “dire”.
“Urgent and collective action is required to confront this risk. In collaboration with member states, the European Commission has implemented an European Union-wide observation system for pollinators based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will help to track our advancement. Now, we need to prioritize application and collaboration with member states to preserve our pollinating species,” she said.
The publication of the bee and butterfly assessments follows the initial EU-wide study on hoverflies, a further vital group of pollinators. Published in 2022, it revealed that 37% of all hoverfly species in European nations were facing extinction.
