The total of native bee species in the European continent facing disappearance has more than doubled over the past decade, whereas the count of threatened butterfly has almost doubled.
This dire scenario for crucial pollinating species was unveiled by research studies for the IUCN red list, which found that at least 172 bee types out of 1,928 were threatened with extinction in European nations.
The count of butterfly types threatened with extinction in Europe has increased from over thirty-five to sixty-five since the last study, carried out over a decade past. One species, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been declared extinct.
In addition to their beauty and cultural value, pollinating species like bees along with butterflies are crucial elements for our well-being, our food supplies and our financial structures – supporting the produce, vegetables and seeds that sustain us,” stated the IUCN’s director general. “The latest assessments of the European red list reveal major obstacles, with dangers mounting for butterfly species and crucial non-managed bee varieties.”
The reasons of the quick recent decreases are the continuing damage or destruction of natural habitats caused by farming intensification and land abandonment, draining wetlands, excessive grazing by animals, and the application of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoids. The division of habitat friendly to pollinators substantially boosts the risk of disappearances in specific areas.
Global warming is also shown to be a primary risk: 52% of all threatened butterfly types in Europe are imperilled by the climate change crisis – about double the number as a previous decade.
As many as nine out of ten of flowering plants in the European continent rely on pollination by animals, according to the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Regrettably, wild bee groups are in severe drop and are not easily replaceable by managed colonies,” he said. “If native bees disappear, many wild plants might be threatened too – of which bloom-filled grasslands and beautiful orchid species are just a few examples.”
Fifteen species of bumblebee species, which perform a vital function in pollinating peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bee types, famous for fertilizing trees such as willows along with red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type exclusive to the continent and the single type of this genus group in European nations, is now classified as severely threatened – the scientific category most akin to disappearance in the wild.
Butterfly species that are only found on high-altitude areas are particularly vulnerable to climate change as they need to move uphill as their habitats become hotter but in the end have no room left. In the southern part of Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among more than 40% of European endemics (only found in Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, types such as the severely threatened Karpathos grayling butterfly are threatened by severe dry conditions and fires.
At the same time, in the Far North, global warming is causing the tree line to move north by tens of metres each year, with underbrush invading marsh and tundra. Hotter climates also mean Arctic deer can not anymore cross the ice to graze Arctic meadows and prevent them from overgrowing. 8 butterfly varieties are threatened with extinction in this zone, including Freyja’s fritillary and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The largest living space for all these pollinating species is flower-rich grassland and that is vanishing rapidly throughout Europe because of all these reasons,” remarked a lead coordinator for the butterfly assessment. “The encouraging aspect is that so many people are aware now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the European Union nature restoration law, all member states have to turn around the decline in pollinating species by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are landowners who are interested. We hope they can obtain the encouragements that will assist them on their way.”
According to Martin Warren, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of steps for pollinating species which will not decrease food production – and could improve it – such as farmers creating bloom-filled edges around their farmland.
Jessika Roswall, characterized the protection status of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “dire”.
“Immediate and joint measures is necessary to confront this risk. In collaboration with participating nations, the Commission of the European Union has implemented an Europe-wide monitoring system for pollinators based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will aid in following our advancement. Now, we need to concentrate on application and partnership with member countries to safeguard our pollinators,” she said.
The publication of the assessments on bees and butterflies comes after the first European-wide assessment of hoverflies, a further vital pollinator group. Published in 2022, it showed that over one-third of all hoverfly types in the European continent were at risk of extinction.
