Concerning Rise in Threatened Wild Bee Varieties Throughout the European Continent
The number of non-managed bee varieties in the European continent confronting extinction has more than doubled during the previous ten-year period, while the number of endangered butterfly species has nearly doubled.
This dire scenario for essential pollinating species was unveiled by scientific assessments for the red list of threatened species, which established that at least over 170 bee species out of over 1900 were at risk of extinction in Europe.
The number of butterfly species threatened with extinction in European nations has risen from thirty-seven to 65 since the previous assessment, conducted over a decade past. A single species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.
Apart from their beauty and cultural value, pollinating species like bees along with butterflies are crucial elements for our well-being, our food supplies and our economies – sustaining the fruits, veggies and seeds that feed us,” commented Grethel Aguilar. “The newest European red list assessments reveal significant difficulties, with risks mounting for butterfly species and essential wild bee species.”
The reasons of the rapid recent declines are the continuing damage or destruction of natural habitats caused by agricultural intensification and land abandonment, draining of wetlands, excessive grazing by animals, and the application of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoids. The breaking up of pollinator-friendly habitat significantly raises the risk of extinctions at local level.
Global heating is also revealed to be a major threat: Over half of all threatened butterfly types in the European continent are endangered by the climate change crisis – approximately double the number as a ten years ago.
Nearly 90% of flowering plants in Europe rely on insect pollination, as per Dr Denis Michez. “Sadly, native bee colonies are in sharp decrease and cannot be easily replaced by managed colonies,” he said. “If non-managed bees disappear, many wild plants might be at risk too – of which meadows rich in flowers and beautiful orchid species are just a few examples.”
15 varieties of bumblebee types, which play a crucial role in pollinating peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bee species, recognized for fertilizing trees such as willow trees and red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type unique to the European continent and the single type of this genus in Europe, is now classified as critically endangered – the research category nearest to extinction in the wild.
Butterflies that are exclusively located on mountain tops are particularly vulnerable to global heating as they need to move uphill as their habitats become warmer but in the end exhaust available space. In southern Spain, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among above 40 percent of types unique to Europe (only found in Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean, types such as the severely threatened Karpathos grayling are threatened by intense wildfires and drought.
At the same time, in the Arctic region, global warming is leading to the forest boundary to shift northward by many meters each year, with underbrush encroaching on bog and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean Arctic deer can no more cross the frozen water to graze northern grasslands and maintain them clear. 8 butterfly varieties are threatened with extinction in this zone, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The largest living space for all these pollinators is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is disappearing very fast in Europe because of all these reasons,” stated one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The encouraging aspect is that so many citizens are concerned now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member states have to reverse the drop in pollinators by 2030, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are landowners who are involved. Let’s hope they can get the incentives that will help them on their way.”
As stated by the coordinator, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of steps for pollinating insects which will not lower crop yields – and might boost it – such as agricultural producers establishing margins rich in flowers around their fields.
EU commissioner for environment, described the preservation condition of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “dire”.
“Immediate and joint measures is necessary to tackle this danger. In collaboration with participating nations, the EU Commission has established an European Union-wide observation system for pollinating insects based on the EU nature restoration law, which will aid in following our development. Now, we need to focus on application and partnership with participating nations to protect our pollinators,” she said.
The issuance of the assessments on bees and butterflies is subsequent to the pioneering EU-wide assessment of hoverflies, another essential pollinator group. Issued in 2022, it disclosed that 37% of all hoverfly species in European nations were threatened with extinction.
