The number of non-managed bee types in the European continent facing dying out has more than doubled over the past decade, and the count of at-risk butterfly types has almost doubled.
This pressing issue for vital pollinating species was unveiled by research studies for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, which found that at least one hundred seventy-two bee types out of nearly two thousand were at risk of extinction in the European continent.
The number of butterfly types threatened with extinction in European nations has grown from 37 to over sixty since the earlier research, performed 14 years ago. One type, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
In addition to their visual charm and cultural importance, pollinating insects like bees and butterflies are lifelines for our health, our food chains and our economic systems – supporting the fruits, vegetables and seeds that sustain us,” said the IUCN director general. “The latest European red list assessments reveal serious challenges, with dangers increasing for butterfly types and essential non-managed bee varieties.”
The reasons of the rapid recent declines are the persistent damage or destruction of habitats caused by farming intensification and land abandonment, draining wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the application of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid pesticides. The fragmentation of habitat friendly to pollinators greatly increases the threat of disappearances in specific areas.
Global heating is also demonstrated to be a major threat: 52% of all endangered butterflies in the European continent are endangered by the climate emergency – approximately double the number as a decade ago.
Up to nine out of ten of flowering plants in Europe require insect pollination, according to the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Unfortunately, native bee populations are in drastic decline and cannot readily be substituted by domesticated hives,” he said. “If wild bees vanish, many native plants might be threatened too – of which meadows rich in flowers and beautiful orchid species are just a couple of instances.”
15 varieties of bumblebee types, which perform a vital function in aiding the pollination of legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bees, known for aiding tree pollination such as willows and red maples, are now classified as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee exclusive to the continent and the sole species of this biological genus in Europe, is now classified as severely threatened – the research category nearest to disappearance in the wild.
Butterflies that are solely present on mountain peaks are particularly vulnerable to climate change as they need to move uphill as their environments become hotter but in the end exhaust available space. In southern Spain, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among over forty percent of species endemic to Europe (exclusive to Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, types such as the highly at-risk grayling of Karpathos are threatened by intense wildfires and drought.
Meanwhile, in the Far North, global heating is causing the timberline to advance northwards by tens of metres each year, with underbrush invading marsh and tundra. Hotter climates also mean Arctic deer can no more cross the frozen water to feed on Arctic meadows and maintain them clear. Eight butterfly species are at risk of extinction in this area, including Freyja’s fritillary and the ringlet of the Arctic.
“The greatest environment for all these pollinators is flower-rich grassland and that is declining quickly across Europe because of all these elements,” remarked a lead coordinator for the butterfly assessment. “The positive thing is that so many individuals are aware now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member countries have to reverse the drop in pollinators by the year 2030, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are land holders who are involved. It is hoped they can receive the motivations that will help them on their way.”
According to Martin Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of measures for pollinating insects which will not decrease agricultural output – and may enhance it – such as farmers establishing bloom-filled edges around their farmland.
EU commissioner for environment, portrayed the preservation condition of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “dire”.
“Urgent and collective action is needed to confront this threat. Together with participating nations, the European Commission has put in place an European Union-wide observation system for pollinating species based on the EU nature restoration law, which will assist in monitoring our progress. Now, we need to prioritize implementation and partnership with member countries to preserve our pollinating insects,” she said.
The release of the assessments on bees and butterflies follows the initial EU-wide evaluation of hoverflies, a further essential pollinating insect category. Released in 2022, it revealed that over one-third of all hoverfly species in European nations were facing extinction.