Concerning Rise in Endangered Non-Managed Bee Species Throughout the European Continent

The total of native bee types in European nations facing extinction has more than doubled during the previous ten-year period, while the number of at-risk butterfly species has nearly doubled.

This dire scenario for essential pollinating species was revealed by research studies for the IUCN red list, which found that at least one hundred seventy-two bee types out of nearly two thousand were facing extinction in the European continent.

The count of butterflies at risk of extinction in the European continent has increased from over thirty-five to 65 since the previous assessment, carried out a decade and a half ago. One type, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been confirmed extinct.

In addition to their aesthetic appeal and cultural significance, pollinators like bees and butterfly species are lifelines for our well-being, our food systems and our economic systems – sustaining the fruits, veggies and seeds that feed us,” said the IUCN’s director general. “The most recent European red list evaluations reveal significant difficulties, with dangers growing for butterfly types and crucial wild bee types.”

The reasons of the swift recent drops are the ongoing damage or destruction of living environments caused by agricultural intensification and land abandonment, draining wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the application of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid chemicals. The breaking up of environments suitable for pollinators substantially boosts the risk of local extinctions.

Global heating is also shown to be a primary risk: Over half of all endangered butterfly species in Europe are imperilled by the climate crisis – approximately twice as many as a decade ago.

Up to ninety percent of flowering plants in Europe require pollination by animals, as stated by the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Regrettably, native bee colonies are in sharp decrease and cannot be easily replaced by domesticated hives,” he said. “If non-managed bees vanish, many wild plants might be in danger as well – of which meadows rich in flowers and beautiful orchid species are just a handful of illustrations.”

Fifteen types of bumblebee types, which perform a vital function in pollinating crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bee species, known for pollinating trees such as willows along with red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee exclusive to the European continent and the only species of this genus group in Europe, is now assessed as critically at risk – the scientific classification closest to disappearance in the wild.

Butterfly types that are only found on high-altitude areas are particularly vulnerable to global heating as they need to move uphill as their habitats become warmer but eventually run out of space. In Spain’s southern region, the Nevada grayling and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among more than 40% of species endemic to Europe (exclusive to Europe) threatened with extinction.

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

At the same time, in the Arctic region, global heating is resulting in the timberline to advance northwards by dozens of meters each year, with scrub encroaching on marsh and tundra. Hotter climates also mean caribou can no more cross the ice sheets to graze Arctic meadows and maintain them clear. Eight butterfly species are facing extinction in this zone, 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 vanishing rapidly throughout the European continent because of all these factors,” said one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The positive thing is that so many citizens are aware now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member states have to reverse the drop in pollinating species by the year 2030, and they are going to have to begin taking action. There are landowners who are interested. We hope they can receive the incentives that will support them on their way.”

According to the coordinator, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of measures for pollinating insects which won’t reduce food production – and might boost it – such as farmers establishing flower-rich margins around their cultivated areas.

EU commissioner for environment, portrayed the preservation condition of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “critical”.

“Prompt and unified steps is needed to address this threat. In collaboration with participating nations, the Commission of the European Union has put in place an European Union-wide observation system for pollinators based on the EU nature restoration law, which will assist in monitoring our advancement. Now, we need to prioritize application and collaboration with participating nations to protect our pollinators,” she said.

The publication of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies follows the pioneering Europe-wide study on hoverflies, an additional crucial group of pollinators. Issued in 2022, it revealed that over one-third of all hoverfly species in European nations were facing extinction.