The count of native bee types in Europe facing disappearance has more than doubled over the past decade, whereas the number of threatened butterfly species has nearly doubled.
This dire scenario for crucial pollinators was unveiled by scientific studies for the red list of threatened species, which established that at least 172 bee species out of over 1900 were threatened with extinction in Europe.
The number of butterfly species at risk of extinction in European nations has increased from over thirty-five to sixty-five since the previous assessment, conducted 14 years ago. A single species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been declared extinct.
“Beyond their aesthetic appeal and cultural importance, pollinating insects like bees and butterfly species are essential supports for our physical condition, our food systems and our financial structures – supporting the fruits, vegetables and seeds that sustain us,” said Grethel Aguilar. “The latest European red list assessments reveal serious challenges, with threats mounting for butterflies and essential wild bee species.”
The causes of the rapid recent declines are the persistent damage or destruction of natural habitats caused by agricultural intensification and deserted farmland, draining of wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the application of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoids. The fragmentation of pollinator-friendly habitat significantly raises the risk of disappearances in specific areas.
Climate change is also revealed to be a significant danger: 52% of all endangered butterfly species in European nations are endangered by the climate change crisis – approximately twofold the amount as a decade ago.
Nearly ninety percent of flowering plants in the European continent rely on animal pollination, as stated by Dr Denis Michez. “Sadly, wild bee groups are in drastic decline and cannot be easily replaced by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If non-managed bees vanish, many native plants might be threatened too – of which bloom-filled grasslands and lovely orchid types are just a few examples.”
Fifteen species of bumblebees, which play a crucial role in fertilizing peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bees, recognized for pollinating trees such as willow trees and red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species found only in the continent and the single type of this genus group in Europe, is now evaluated as critically endangered – the scientific classification closest to extinction in the wild.
Butterflies that are exclusively located on mountain peaks are highly susceptible to global heating as they need to move uphill as their living spaces become warmer but eventually have no room left. In Spain’s southern region, the grayling of Nevada and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among over forty percent of European endemics (solely present in Europe) facing extinction.
In the Mediterranean region, varieties such as the severely threatened Karpathos grayling butterfly are imperilled by extreme drought and wildfires.
In the meantime, in the Arctic region, global heating is resulting in the forest boundary to move north by tens of metres each year, with bushes encroaching on bog and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean caribou can no more cross the ice to graze Arctic grasslands and maintain them clear. 8 butterfly varieties are threatened with extinction in this area, including Freyja’s fritillary and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.
“The greatest environment for all these pollinating species is grassland rich in flowers and that is disappearing very fast throughout European nations because of all these elements,” said Martin Warren. “The good news is that so many individuals care now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the European Union nature restoration law, all participating nations have to reverse the drop in pollinating species by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are property owners who are involved. Let’s hope they can obtain the motivations that will assist them on their way.”
According to Martin Warren, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of action for pollinating insects which will not decrease food production – and might boost it – such as growers creating flower-rich margins around their fields.
Jessika Roswall, portrayed the protection status of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “severe”.
“Immediate and joint measures is necessary to address this risk. Together with member countries, the EU Commission has put in place an Europe-wide monitoring system for pollinating species based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will assist in monitoring our advancement. Now, we need to focus on implementation and cooperation with participating nations to preserve our pollinators,” she said.
The release of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies comes after the pioneering EU-wide study on hoverflies, another essential pollinating insect category. Published in 2022, it revealed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly types in the European continent were threatened with extinction.
