The number of wild bee varieties in the European continent experiencing dying out has over doubled in the last ten years, whereas the total of threatened butterfly species has nearly doubled.
This dire scenario for crucial pollinating insects was disclosed by scientific studies for the red list of threatened species, which found that at least one hundred seventy-two bee types out of 1,928 were facing extinction in the European continent.
The number of butterfly species facing extinction in European nations has grown from thirty-seven to sixty-five since the last study, performed over a decade past. One species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been declared extinct.
In addition to their aesthetic appeal and cultural significance, pollinating species like bees and butterfly species are crucial elements for our well-being, our food systems and our financial structures – maintaining the produce, vegetables and seeds that sustain us,” stated the IUCN’s director general. “The latest assessments of the European red list reveal serious challenges, with threats mounting for butterflies and essential native bee types.”
The factors of the swift recent drops are the continuing destruction or damage of natural habitats caused by agricultural intensification and land abandonment, wetland drainage, overgrazing by livestock, and the application of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoid pesticides. The division of habitat friendly to pollinators greatly increases the danger of local extinctions.
Global warming is also demonstrated to be a significant danger: 52% of all at-risk butterfly species in Europe are imperilled by the climate change crisis – approximately twice as many as a previous decade.
Up to 90% of blooming plants in the European continent rely on animal pollination, as per Dr Denis Michez. “Sadly, non-managed bee populations are in sharp decrease and cannot be easily replaced by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If native bees disappear, many non-cultivated plants might be in danger as well – of which bloom-filled grasslands and beautiful orchid species are just a couple of instances.”
Fifteen types of bumblebee species, which have an essential part in pollinating legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bee types, known for pollinating trees such as willows and red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee found only in the mainland and the sole species of this genus group in Europe, is now assessed as critically endangered – the scientific category most akin to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterfly species that are solely present on mountain peaks are particularly vulnerable to global warming as they have to climb upward as their environments become hotter but in the end exhaust available space. In southern Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among over forty percent of European endemics (only found in Europe) threatened with extinction.
In the Mediterranean, varieties such as the severely threatened grayling of Karpathos are threatened by extreme dry conditions and fires.
At the same time, in the Arctic region, global heating is leading to the forest boundary to move north by dozens of meters each year, with bushes invading wetlands and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean reindeer can not anymore cross the frozen water to browse Arctic meadows and prevent them from overgrowing. Eight types of butterflies are threatened with extinction in this region, including Freyja’s fritillary and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The greatest habitat for all these pollinating species is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is declining quickly across Europe because of all these elements,” remarked Martin Warren. “The positive thing is that so many citizens are aware now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the European Union nature restoration law, all participating nations have to halt the decline in pollinating species by the year 2030, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are landowners who are engaged. Let’s hope they can receive the encouragements that will assist them on their way.”
As stated by Warren, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of steps for pollinating species which won’t reduce crop yields – and could improve it – such as agricultural producers creating bloom-filled edges around their cultivated areas.
EU commissioner for environment, described the protection status of non-managed bees, butterfly species and other pollinating insects as “severe”.
“Prompt and unified steps is necessary to confront this danger. Along with participating nations, the European Commission has implemented an Europe-wide observation system for pollinating species based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will assist in monitoring our development. Now, we need to focus on implementation and cooperation with member countries to protect our pollinating species,” she said.
The release of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies follows the first Europe-wide assessment of hoverflies, an additional vital pollinator group. Issued in twenty-twenty-two, it revealed that 37% of all hoverfly species in Europe were at risk of extinction.
