Alarming Rise in At-Risk Wild Bee Species Throughout Europe

The count of non-managed bee varieties in Europe experiencing extinction has more than doubled during the previous ten-year period, while the count of threatened butterfly types has almost doubled.

This critical situation for vital pollinating species was disclosed by scientific studies for the red list of threatened species, which found that at least 172 bee species out of nearly two thousand were threatened with extinction in Europe.

The number of butterfly species threatened with extinction in the European continent has grown from thirty-seven to sixty-five since the earlier research, performed a decade and a half ago. One type, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni) has now been classified as extinct.

In addition to their visual charm and cultural significance, pollinating insects like bees and butterfly species are crucial elements for our health, our food chains and our financial structures – maintaining the fruits, veggies and seeds that nourish us,” said the IUCN director general. “The newest European red list assessments reveal major obstacles, with threats growing for butterfly types and essential native bee types.”

The reasons of the swift recent drops are the ongoing destruction or damage of living environments caused by intensive agriculture and land abandonment, draining of wetlands, livestock overgrazing, and the application of chemical fertilisers and pesticides including neonicotinoid chemicals. The division of environments suitable for pollinators greatly increases the risk of disappearances in specific areas.

Climate change is also revealed to be a primary risk: Fifty-two percent of all threatened butterfly types in European nations are imperilled by the climate emergency – roughly double the number as a ten years ago.

Nearly ninety percent of plants that flower in Europe depend on pollination by animals, as stated by the wild bee assessment’s lead coordinator. “Unfortunately, native bee populations are in sharp decrease and cannot readily be substituted by managed bee colonies,” he said. “If non-managed bees disappear, many native plants might be threatened too – of which flower-rich meadows and beautiful orchid species are just a couple of instances.”

Fifteen types of bumblebee species, which play a crucial role in aiding the pollination of peas, beans, peanuts and clover, and fourteen varieties of cellophane bees, known for aiding tree pollination such as willow trees and red maples, are now classified as threatened. Simpanurgus phyllopodus, a mining bee type found only in the continent and the only species of this genus in European nations, is now assessed as severely threatened – the scientific category nearest to dying out in natural habitats.

Butterflies that are only found on mountain peaks are especially at risk to global warming as they must ascend higher as their habitats become more heated but eventually exhaust available space. In the southern part of Spain, the Nevada grayling butterfly and the anomalous blue of Andalusia are among more than 40% of European endemics (exclusive to Europe) threatened with extinction.

In the Mediterranean area, species such as the severely threatened Karpathos grayling butterfly are threatened by severe dry conditions and fires.

In the meantime, in the Far North, global heating is leading to the forest boundary to move north by dozens of meters each year, with scrub taking over marsh and tundra. Warmer conditions also mean caribou can no longer cross the ice sheets to feed on northern grasslands and keep them open. Eight types of butterflies are threatened with extinction in this region, including Freyja’s fritillary butterfly and the Arctic ringlet butterfly.

“The largest habitat for all these pollinators is bloom-filled grassy areas and that is declining quickly across European nations because of all these reasons,” said a lead coordinator for the butterfly assessment. “The encouraging aspect is that so many people are aware now and there’s a lot more awareness. Under the EU nature restoration legislation, all member countries have to turn around the drop in pollinators by twenty-thirty, and they are going to have to start doing something. There are landowners who are engaged. It is hoped they can get the incentives that will assist them on their way.”

According to the coordinator, there is “readily achievable actions” in terms of action for pollinating insects which will not lower crop yields – and could improve it – such as growers creating flower-rich margins around their fields.

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

“Urgent and collective action is required to address this risk. Along with member countries, the Commission of the European Union has implemented an European Union-wide observation system for pollinators based on the European Union nature restoration legislation, which will assist in monitoring our advancement. Now, we need to focus on application and cooperation with participating nations to protect our pollinating species,” she said.

The release of the bee and butterfly assessments is subsequent to the first European-wide study on hoverflies, a further crucial pollinator group. Released in 2022, it showed that over one-third of all hoverfly species in the European continent were threatened with extinction.