Worrying Surge in Endangered Non-Managed Bee Types Throughout the European Continent

The total of wild bee species in Europe confronting dying out has increased twofold in the last ten years, while the count of threatened butterfly types has nearly doubled.

This critical situation for vital pollinators was unveiled by scientific studies for the red list of threatened species, which found that at least one hundred seventy-two bee types out of 1,928 were facing extinction in European nations.

The total of butterfly species threatened with extinction in European nations has increased from thirty-seven to sixty-five since the earlier research, performed 14 years ago. One type, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.

“Beyond their visual charm and cultural value, pollinating species like bees and butterflies are crucial elements for our well-being, our food chains and our economic systems – maintaining the produce, vegetables and seeds that nourish us,” stated the IUCN director general. “The most recent European red list assessments reveal significant difficulties, with dangers increasing for butterfly species and vital wild bee species.”

The reasons of the rapid recent declines are the continuing harm or degradation of natural habitats caused by intensive agriculture and deserted farmland, draining of wetlands, overgrazing by livestock, and the application of fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid chemicals. The division of environments suitable for pollinators substantially boosts the danger of disappearances in specific areas.

Global warming is also demonstrated to be a major threat: Over half of all at-risk butterfly species in Europe are endangered by the climate change crisis – about twice as many as a ten years ago.

As many as nine out of ten of plants that flower in Europe require pollination by animals, as stated by the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Unfortunately, non-managed bee populations are in severe drop and are not easily replaceable by managed colonies,” he said. “If non-managed bees disappear, many native plants might be threatened too – of which bloom-filled grasslands and attractive orchid varieties are just a few examples.”

15 varieties of bumblebees, which play a crucial role in fertilizing legumes like peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and 14 species of cellophane bees, famous for fertilizing trees such as willows along with red maples, are now categorized as at-risk. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type exclusive to the mainland and the single type of this genus group in European nations, is now assessed as critically endangered – the scientific category nearest to disappearance in the wild.

Butterfly types that are only found on high-altitude areas are highly susceptible to global heating as they have to climb upward as their habitats become warmer but eventually run out of space. In the southern part of Spain, the Nevada grayling and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among above 40 percent of species endemic to Europe (only found in Europe) at risk of extinction.

In the Mediterranean, varieties such as the critically endangered Karpathos grayling are imperilled by severe drought and wildfires.

At the same time, in the Far North, global heating is causing the tree line to advance northwards by many meters each year, with underbrush taking over marsh and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean reindeer can no longer cross the ice to graze northern grasslands and prevent them from overgrowing. 8 butterfly varieties are facing extinction in this area, including the fritillary of Freyja and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.

“The largest habitat for all these pollinating species is grassland rich in flowers and that is declining quickly in European nations because of all these reasons,” said one of the lead coordinators of the butterflies assessment. “The encouraging aspect is that so many people care now and there’s a lot more understanding. Under the European Union nature restoration law, all participating nations have to turn around the decline in pollinating species by 2030, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are property owners who are interested. We hope they can receive the incentives that will support them on their way.”

As stated by Warren, there is “easy opportunities” in terms of steps for pollinating insects which will not lower crop yields – and might boost it – such as growers creating flower-rich margins around their fields.

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

“Urgent and collective action is needed to tackle this risk. In collaboration with member states, the European Commission has established an Europe-wide monitoring system for pollinating species based on the EU nature restoration regulation, which will help to track our advancement. Now, we need to concentrate on application and partnership with member countries to preserve our pollinating insects,” she said.

The publication of the evaluations of bees along with butterflies is subsequent to the first Europe-wide study on hoverflies, another essential pollinating insect category. Published in 2022, it revealed that 37% of all hoverfly varieties in Europe were threatened with extinction.