Alarming Increase in Threatened Native Bee Varieties Throughout European Nations

The total of native bee types in the European continent confronting dying out has increased twofold over the past decade, while the count of at-risk butterfly species has close to doubled.

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

The total of butterfly species threatened with extinction in the European continent has increased from over thirty-five to sixty-five since the last study, performed over a decade past. A single species, the Madeiran large white butterfly (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.

Apart from their beauty and cultural significance, pollinators like bees and butterflies are lifelines for our physical condition, our food systems and our financial structures – supporting the produce, vegetables and seeds that nourish us,” stated the IUCN’s director general. “The latest European red list evaluations reveal major obstacles, with risks growing for butterfly species and essential non-managed bee types.”

The reasons of the rapid recent declines are the ongoing damage or destruction of habitats caused by agricultural intensification and deserted farmland, draining of wetlands, excessive grazing by animals, and the utilization of pesticides and fertilisers including neonicotinoid pesticides. The breaking up of environments suitable for pollinators greatly increases the risk of extinctions at local level.

Climate change is also revealed to be a major threat: 52% of all threatened butterfly types in Europe are imperilled by the climate change crisis – approximately double the number as a previous decade.

Nearly nine out of ten of blooming plants in Europe depend on animal pollination, as stated by the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Unfortunately, native bee populations are in sharp decrease and are not easily replaceable by domesticated hives,” he said. “If wild bees die out, many wild plants might be in danger as well – of which flower-rich meadows and beautiful orchid species are just a few examples.”

Fifteen types of bumblebee types, which perform a vital function in aiding the pollination of 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 exclusive to the continent and the only species of this genus group in the European continent, is now evaluated as severely threatened – the research category closest to extinction in the wild.

Butterflies that are only found on mountain tops are highly susceptible to global warming as they need to move uphill as their environments become warmer but eventually exhaust available space. In southern Spain, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among more than 40% of types unique to Europe (solely present in Europe) at risk of extinction.

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

At the same time, in the Far North, global warming is resulting in the timberline to shift northward by tens of metres each year, with bushes invading marsh and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean reindeer can no more cross the frozen water to feed on Arctic grasslands and maintain them clear. Eight butterfly species are threatened with extinction in this area, including Freyja’s fritillary and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.

“The largest habitat for all these pollinating insects is grassland rich in flowers and that is vanishing rapidly across the European continent because of all these elements,” said a lead coordinator for the butterfly assessment. “The positive thing is that so many people are concerned now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the European Union nature restoration law, all member countries have to turn around the drop in pollinating insects by 2030, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are property owners who are interested. We hope they can get the encouragements that will help them on their way.”

According to Warren, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of action for pollinators which will not decrease food production – and may enhance it – such as growers developing bloom-filled edges around their fields.

the EU’s environment commissioner, characterized the protection status of wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators as “critical”.

“Urgent and collective action is needed to tackle this danger. In collaboration with member states, the Commission of the European Union has established an European Union-wide observation system for pollinating species based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will help to track our progress. Now, we need to prioritize implementation and partnership with member states to protect our pollinating species,” she said.

The release of the assessments on bees and butterflies follows the pioneering European-wide evaluation of hoverflies, another essential pollinating insect category. Released in 2022, it revealed that thirty-seven percent of all hoverfly varieties in Europe were threatened with extinction.