Concerning Increase in Endangered Native Bee Varieties Across European Nations

The count of native bee species in Europe confronting extinction has more than doubled over the past decade, and the number of threatened butterfly types has nearly doubled.

This pressing issue for vital pollinating species was revealed by scientific studies for the IUCN red list, which found that at least over 170 bee varieties out of 1,928 were at risk of extinction in Europe.

The count of butterflies threatened with extinction in Europe has grown from 37 to sixty-five since the earlier research, carried out over a decade past. One species, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.

In addition to their visual charm and cultural importance, pollinating insects like bees and butterflies are crucial elements for our health, our food systems and our economic systems – sustaining the produce, vegetables and seeds that nourish us,” said Grethel Aguilar. “The newest European red list assessments reveal significant difficulties, with threats mounting for butterfly species and essential native bee types.”

The factors of the rapid recent declines are the continuing damage or destruction of living environments caused by intensive agriculture and abandoned land, draining of wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the application of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoids. The fragmentation of pollinator-friendly habitat significantly raises the threat of extinctions at local level.

Global heating is also revealed to be a major threat: Fifty-two percent of all at-risk butterfly species in European nations are endangered by the climate crisis – roughly twofold the amount as a previous decade.

As many as nine out of ten of flowering plants in European nations depend on pollination by animals, as stated by Dr Denis Michez. “Unfortunately, wild bee populations are in drastic decline and cannot be easily replaced by managed colonies,” he said. “If wild bees disappear, many non-cultivated plants might be in danger as well – of which flower-rich meadows and beautiful orchid species are just a couple of instances.”

Fifteen species of bumblebees, which perform a vital function in pollinating peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 types of cellophane bee species, recognized for pollinating trees such as willow trees and red maples, are now classified as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee found only in the European continent and the only species of this biological genus in Europe, is now evaluated as critically at risk – the scientific classification closest to extinction in the wild.

Butterfly species that are only found on mountain tops are especially at risk to global warming as they must ascend higher as their environments become warmer but ultimately run out of space. In the southern part of Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the Andalusian anomalous blue butterfly are among above 40 percent of types unique to Europe (exclusive to Europe) facing extinction.

In the Mediterranean area, types such as the severely threatened Karpathos grayling are endangered by severe dry conditions and fires.

In the meantime, in the Arctic region, climate change is resulting in the tree line to move north by many meters each year, with scrub encroaching on bog and tundra. Hotter climates also mean reindeer can no longer cross the ice sheets to feed on Arctic grasslands and prevent them from overgrowing. 8 butterfly varieties are facing extinction in this zone, including the fritillary of Freyja and the ringlet of the Arctic.

“The biggest environment for all these pollinators is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is vanishing rapidly in the European continent because of all these reasons,” stated Martin Warren. “The good news is that so many citizens are aware now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member states have to reverse the decline in pollinating insects 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 motivations that will support them on their way.”

As stated by Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of steps for pollinating species which won’t reduce crop yields – and could improve it – such as agricultural producers creating bloom-filled edges around their cultivated areas.

Jessika Roswall, characterized the protection status of non-managed bees, butterfly species and other pollinating insects as “severe”.

“Urgent and collective action is necessary to tackle this risk. In collaboration with participating nations, the EU Commission has put in place an European Union-wide tracking system for pollinating insects based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will help to track our progress. Now, we need to prioritize application and cooperation with member states to safeguard our pollinating insects,” she said.

The release of the bee and butterfly assessments follows the initial EU-wide study on hoverflies, another essential pollinating insect category. Issued in 2022, it disclosed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly types in the European continent were at risk of extinction.