Alarming Increase in Endangered Wild Bee Varieties Throughout the European Continent

The number of wild bee species in European nations confronting extinction has increased twofold over the past decade, while the total of at-risk butterfly has close to doubled.

This critical situation for crucial pollinating species was disclosed by scientific studies for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list, which established that at least over 170 bee varieties out of over 1900 were facing extinction in European nations.

The number of butterflies at risk of extinction in European nations has grown from 37 to 65 since the earlier research, conducted 14 years ago. One species, the large white of Madeira (Pieris wollastoni) has now been declared extinct.

“Beyond their aesthetic appeal and cultural significance, pollinating insects like bees and butterflies are essential supports for our well-being, our food supplies and our financial structures – sustaining the produce, vegetables and seeds that feed us,” commented Grethel Aguilar. “The latest European red list assessments reveal major obstacles, with threats increasing for butterflies and crucial non-managed bee varieties.”

The reasons of the rapid recent declines are the ongoing destruction or damage of habitats caused by agricultural intensification and deserted farmland, draining of wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the utilization of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid chemicals. The fragmentation of environments suitable for pollinators significantly raises the danger of local extinctions.

Global heating is also demonstrated to be a primary risk: Fifty-two percent of all endangered butterfly types in European nations are endangered by the climate change crisis – roughly twice as many as a ten years ago.

Nearly ninety percent of flowering plants in European nations require pollination by animals, as per the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Unfortunately, non-managed bee populations are in drastic decline and are not easily replaceable by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If non-managed bees die out, many native plants might be at risk too – of which meadows rich in flowers and beautiful orchid species are just a handful of illustrations.”

15 varieties of bumblebee types, which have an essential part in pollinating peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bee species, famous for pollinating trees such as willows along with red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type unique to the continent and the single type of this biological genus in the European continent, is now evaluated as critically endangered – the research category nearest to dying out in natural habitats.

Butterfly species that are solely present on high-altitude areas are particularly vulnerable to climate change as they must ascend higher as their living spaces become warmer but ultimately have no room left. In Spain’s southern region, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the Andalusian anomalous blue are among more than 40% of species endemic to Europe (solely present in Europe) at risk of extinction.

In the Mediterranean, species such as the highly at-risk Karpathos grayling are threatened by intense wildfires and drought.

At the same time, in the Arctic Circle, climate change is resulting in the timberline to shift northward by many meters each year, with underbrush taking over marsh and tundra. Hotter climates also mean caribou can no longer cross the ice sheets to browse Arctic meadows and prevent them from overgrowing. 8 butterfly varieties are at risk of extinction in this region, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.

“The largest environment for all these pollinating insects is flower-rich grassland and that is vanishing rapidly in Europe because of all these reasons,” remarked one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The positive thing is that so many people are concerned now and there’s a lot more consciousness. Under the EU’s nature restoration regulation, all member states have to turn around the decline in pollinators by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are landowners who are interested. Let’s hope they can get the motivations that will support them on their way.”

As stated by Martin Warren, there is “low-hanging fruit” in terms of action for pollinators which won’t reduce agricultural output – and may enhance it – such as farmers creating bloom-filled edges around their cultivated areas.

the EU’s environment commissioner, described the preservation condition of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “critical”.

“Prompt and unified steps is necessary to confront this danger. Together with participating nations, the EU Commission has implemented an European Union-wide observation system for pollinating species based on the EU nature restoration law, which will help to track our progress. Now, we need to focus on execution and partnership with participating nations to protect our pollinating insects,” she said.

The release of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies is subsequent to the initial Europe-wide study on hoverflies, an additional crucial pollinating insect category. Issued in 2022, it disclosed that over one-third of all hoverfly types in Europe were at risk of extinction.