Concerning Increase in At-Risk Native Bee Varieties In Europe

The number of wild bee types in European nations facing extinction has over doubled over the past decade, while the number of threatened butterfly types has almost doubled.

This critical situation for vital pollinators was revealed by scientific studies for the IUCN red list, which determined that at least over 170 bee species out of over 1900 were at risk of extinction in European nations.

The count of butterflies threatened with extinction in Europe has risen from 37 to 65 since the previous assessment, carried out a decade and a half ago. One species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.

“Beyond their aesthetic appeal and cultural importance, pollinators like bees and butterfly species are lifelines for our well-being, our food systems and our financial structures – supporting the produce, vegetables and seeds that sustain us,” commented Grethel Aguilar. “The newest European red list assessments reveal significant difficulties, with threats increasing for butterfly species and crucial native bee types.”

The causes of the swift recent drops are the continuing harm or degradation of living environments caused by agricultural intensification and land abandonment, draining wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the utilization of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid chemicals. The breaking up of pollinator-friendly habitat greatly increases the danger of disappearances in specific areas.

Global heating is also shown to be a major threat: Fifty-two percent of all at-risk butterfly species in the European continent are imperilled by the climate change crisis – about twofold the amount as a ten years ago.

Up to ninety percent of plants that flower in the European continent rely on insect pollination, as stated by the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Regrettably, native bee colonies are in severe drop and cannot readily be substituted by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If wild bees vanish, many native plants might be threatened too – of which meadows rich in flowers and lovely orchid types are just a few examples.”

15 varieties of bumblebee types, which perform a vital function in aiding the pollination of peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bee types, known for aiding tree pollination such as willows and red maples, are now classified as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species found only in the European continent and the only species of this biological genus in European nations, is now evaluated as critically at risk – the research category nearest to disappearance in the wild.

Butterfly species that are solely present on mountain peaks are particularly vulnerable to global heating as they need to move uphill as their living spaces become more heated but in the end run out of space. In the southern part of Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among over forty percent of European endemics (solely present in Europe) facing extinction.

In the Mediterranean region, types such as the critically endangered Karpathos grayling are endangered by intense wildfires and drought.

In the meantime, in the Arctic Circle, climate change is leading to the tree line to move north by tens of metres each year, with scrub encroaching on marsh and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean caribou can not anymore cross the ice sheets to browse Arctic grasslands and maintain them clear. Eight butterfly species are at risk of extinction in this region, including the fritillary of Freyja and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.

“The biggest environment for all these pollinators is flower-rich grassland and that is disappearing very fast across European nations because of all these factors,” stated Martin Warren. “The encouraging aspect is that so many citizens are aware now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all member countries have to turn around the drop in pollinating species by 2030, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are land holders who are engaged. Let’s hope they can receive the encouragements that will assist them on their way.”

According to Warren, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of steps for pollinating insects which will not decrease agricultural output – and may enhance it – such as agricultural producers creating flower-rich margins around their farmland.

Jessika Roswall, described the protection status of native bees, butterflies and additional pollinators as “dire”.

“Prompt and unified steps is needed to address this risk. Together with member states, the Commission of the European Union has put in place an European Union-wide monitoring system for pollinating insects based on the EU nature restoration law, which will help to track our advancement. Now, we need to prioritize execution and cooperation with member states to safeguard our pollinating species,” she said.

The issuance of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies follows the first European-wide assessment of hoverflies, an additional crucial group of pollinators. Published in 2022, it showed that 37% of all hoverfly varieties in European nations were facing extinction.