Worrying Surge in Threatened Native Bee Species In the European Continent

The number of non-managed bee types in Europe facing disappearance has more than doubled in the last ten years, whereas the count of at-risk butterfly has close to doubled.

This pressing issue for essential pollinating species was revealed by scientific assessments for the IUCN red list, which found that at least 172 bee types out of over 1900 were threatened with extinction in Europe.

The total of butterfly types at risk of extinction in the European continent has increased from over thirty-five to over sixty since the last study, carried out over a decade past. One species, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been declared extinct.

Apart from their beauty and cultural importance, pollinators like bees along with butterflies are crucial elements for our well-being, our food systems and our financial structures – sustaining the fruits, veggies and seeds that nourish us,” said the IUCN’s director general. “The newest assessments of the European red list reveal serious challenges, with risks mounting for butterfly species and crucial non-managed bee species.”

The causes of the swift recent drops are the ongoing damage or destruction of habitats caused by farming intensification and land abandonment, draining of wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the use of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid chemicals. The division of habitat friendly to pollinators significantly raises the risk of local extinctions.

Global heating is also shown to be a major threat: 52% of all endangered butterfly species in European nations are threatened by the climate crisis – approximately twofold the amount as a ten years ago.

Up to 90% of flowering plants in the European continent require pollination by animals, as stated by the lead coordinator of the wild bee assessment. “Sadly, wild bee groups are in severe drop and cannot readily be substituted by domesticated hives,” he said. “If wild bees die out, many native plants might be at risk too – of which meadows rich in flowers and attractive orchid varieties are just a handful of illustrations.”

15 varieties of bumblebee species, which perform a vital function in pollinating crops such as peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bee species, recognized for pollinating trees such as willows along with red maples, are now listed as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee species found only in the European continent and the only species of this genus in European nations, is now assessed as critically at risk – the research category closest to extinction in the wild.

Butterflies that are only found on mountain tops are especially at risk to global warming as they must ascend higher as their environments become hotter but eventually exhaust available space. In southern Spain, the grayling of Nevada and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among more than 40% of species endemic to Europe (solely present in Europe) threatened with extinction.

In the Mediterranean area, types such as the highly at-risk grayling of Karpathos are imperilled by intense wildfires and drought.

At the same time, in the Arctic Circle, climate change is causing the timberline to advance northwards by tens of metres each year, with underbrush encroaching on bog and tundra. Higher temperatures also mean Arctic deer can no longer cross the frozen water to feed on Arctic meadows and keep them open. 8 butterfly varieties are threatened with extinction in this zone, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.

“The biggest environment for all these pollinating species is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is disappearing very fast across the European continent because of all these elements,” remarked 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 states have to reverse the drop in pollinating insects by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to initiate measures. There are landowners who are involved. We hope they can receive the incentives that will support them on their way.”

As per Martin Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of measures for pollinating species which won’t reduce crop yields – and might boost it – such as growers establishing margins rich in flowers around their fields.

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

“Urgent and collective action is required to tackle this threat. Together with member states, the EU Commission has implemented an EU-wide monitoring system for pollinators based on the EU nature restoration law, which will assist in monitoring our advancement. Now, we need to focus on execution and cooperation with member countries to protect our pollinators,” she said.

The release of the assessments on bees and butterflies comes after the pioneering European-wide assessment of hoverflies, another vital pollinating insect category. Released in 2022, it revealed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly varieties in Europe were at risk of extinction.