The count of wild bee species in the European continent facing dying out has over doubled in the last ten years, and the count of threatened butterfly types has nearly doubled.
This dire scenario for vital pollinating insects was revealed by scientific assessments for the red list of threatened species, which found that at least 172 bee varieties out of nearly two thousand were at risk of extinction in the European continent.
The count of butterfly species threatened with extinction in Europe has risen from over thirty-five to over sixty since the last study, conducted 14 years ago. One type, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.
In addition to their aesthetic appeal and cultural value, pollinators like bees and butterflies are essential supports for our health, our food chains and our economic systems – supporting the fruits, veggies and seeds that sustain us,” stated the IUCN director general. “The most recent European red list evaluations reveal serious challenges, with dangers growing for butterfly species and vital non-managed bee species.”
The reasons of the rapid recent declines are the continuing damage or destruction of habitats caused by agricultural intensification and land abandonment, draining of wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the application of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid chemicals. The breaking up of pollinator-friendly habitat significantly raises the danger of local extinctions.
Climate change is also demonstrated to be a significant danger: Fifty-two percent of all threatened butterfly species in the European continent are threatened by the climate change crisis – about twofold the amount as a previous decade.
Nearly nine out of ten of plants that flower in European nations require animal pollination, according to the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Unfortunately, non-managed bee groups are in drastic decline and cannot readily be substituted by domesticated hives,” he said. “If native bees disappear, many non-cultivated plants might be at risk too – of which meadows rich in flowers and attractive orchid varieties are just a handful of illustrations.”
15 varieties of bumblebee types, which perform a vital function in fertilizing crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bee types, famous 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 in Europe, is now classified as critically endangered – the research category most akin to dying out in natural habitats.
Butterflies that are solely present on mountain tops are especially at risk to climate change as they need to move uphill as their environments become more heated but in the end exhaust available space. In Spain’s southern region, the grayling of Nevada and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among more than 40% of European endemics (solely present in Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, varieties such as the severely threatened Karpathos grayling butterfly are imperilled by intense dry conditions and fires.
At the same time, in the Far North, climate change is resulting in the tree line to move north by dozens of meters each year, with bushes invading wetlands and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean reindeer can no longer cross the ice sheets to browse Arctic meadows and keep them open. 8 butterfly varieties are threatened with extinction in this region, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The greatest living space for all these pollinating species is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is vanishing rapidly throughout the European continent because of all these elements,” said one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The positive thing is that so many people are concerned now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all member countries have to halt the decline in pollinating species by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are property owners who are engaged. Let’s hope they can receive the encouragements that will assist them on their way.”
As per Martin Warren, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of steps for pollinators which will not decrease crop yields – and could improve it – such as farmers establishing flower-rich margins around their fields.
the EU’s environment commissioner, portrayed the preservation condition of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “critical”.
“Prompt and unified steps is needed to address this danger. Together with participating nations, the EU Commission has put in place an EU-wide tracking system for pollinating species based on the EU nature restoration law, which will help to track our progress. Now, we need to focus on execution and partnership with member countries to protect our pollinating species,” she said.
The publication of the bee and butterfly assessments follows the initial Europe-wide assessment of hoverflies, a further crucial pollinator group. Issued in twenty-twenty-two, it revealed that over one-third of all hoverfly types in European nations were threatened with extinction.
