Worrying Surge in Threatened Non-Managed Bee Types Across Europe
The total of wild bee species in European nations facing dying out has over doubled over the past decade, whereas the total of threatened butterfly species has almost doubled.
This critical situation for vital pollinating species was disclosed by research studies for the red list of threatened species, which determined that at least 172 bee species out of over 1900 were threatened with extinction in Europe.
The total of butterflies facing extinction in the European continent has increased from thirty-seven to 65 since the earlier research, carried out 14 years ago. A single species, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
Apart from their visual charm and cultural value, pollinating insects like bees and butterfly species are crucial elements for our well-being, our food chains and our economic systems – sustaining the fruits, veggies and seeds that feed us,” said Grethel Aguilar. “The latest European red list evaluations reveal serious challenges, with threats mounting for butterflies and essential wild bee types.”
The causes of the rapid recent declines are the persistent destruction or damage of habitats caused by farming intensification and land abandonment, draining wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the application of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid pesticides. The fragmentation of pollinator-friendly habitat greatly increases the danger of extinctions at local level.
Climate change is also revealed to be a major threat: Fifty-two percent of all threatened butterfly types in the European continent are imperilled by the climate change crisis – about twofold the amount as a previous decade.
Up to ninety percent of plants that flower in the European continent require animal pollination, according to Dr Denis Michez. “Sadly, native bee colonies are in severe drop and are not easily replaceable by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If non-managed bees disappear, many non-cultivated plants might be threatened too – of which meadows rich in flowers and attractive orchid varieties are just a couple of instances.”
Fifteen species of bumblebees, which play a crucial role in fertilizing peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bees, recognized for fertilizing trees such as willow trees and red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species exclusive to the continent and the sole species of this genus group in Europe, is now evaluated as critically at risk – the research category most akin to disappearance in the wild.
Butterflies that are exclusively located on mountain peaks are particularly vulnerable to global heating as they must ascend higher as their environments become more heated but in the end run out of space. In Spain’s southern region, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among over forty percent of types unique to Europe (exclusive to Europe) at risk of extinction.
In the Mediterranean area, types such as the severely threatened Karpathos grayling butterfly are endangered by severe dry conditions and fires.
At the same time, in the Arctic Circle, climate change is resulting in the forest boundary to advance northwards by dozens of meters each year, with underbrush encroaching on marsh and tundra. Hotter climates also mean Arctic deer can not anymore cross the ice to feed on Arctic meadows and keep them open. 8 butterfly varieties are facing extinction in this region, including Freyja’s fritillary and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The largest environment for all these pollinators is flower-rich grassland and that is declining quickly across Europe because of all these reasons,” stated one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The good news is that so many people are aware now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member countries have to reverse the drop in pollinating species by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are property owners who are interested. We hope they can get the motivations that will assist them on their way.”
According to the coordinator, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of action for pollinating insects which will not lower food production – and could improve it – such as farmers developing margins rich in flowers around their farmland.
the EU’s environment commissioner, characterized the conservation status of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “dire”.
“Immediate and joint measures is necessary to tackle this danger. Together with member states, the EU Commission has implemented an EU-wide monitoring system for pollinating species based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will aid in following our advancement. Now, we need to prioritize execution and partnership with member states to preserve our pollinating insects,” she said.
The publication of the bee and butterfly assessments is subsequent to the pioneering EU-wide evaluation of hoverflies, another vital pollinator group. Released in 2022, it showed that 37% of all hoverfly types in European nations were at risk of extinction.
