According to Thursday’s new assessment, more than one-tenth (9.2%), of Europe’s wild honey species face extinction because of modern farming and climate change. The reductions have made it difficult for flowers to grow over the past decades. The Assessment, which is part of The Status and Trends of European Pollinators Project (STEP), and The IUCN European Red List of Bees project, was published by the European Commission. It warns that 5.2% of European wild bee species face serious extinction “in the near future”. Insufficient data means that it is not possible to predict what happens to 56.7%, the remaining bee species on the continent. The Western Honeybee (Apis Mellifera) is Europe’s most widespread wild bee. In Europe, there are only 1 ,965 honeybee species. Image: Wikimedia. These two reports offer the best study yet on Europe’s 1 ,965 honeybee species. They include their status and distribution, as well as threats. The authors emphasize that we still know a lot about the bees’ future and status, so more large-scale monitoring is necessary. Jean-Christophe Vie (Deputy Director, IUCN Global Species Programme) said that this assessment was the most complete we’ve had on wild bees throughout Europe. Our knowledge of them is limited because we lack the necessary expertise. They play an important role in pollination of crops and are essential to our food supply. There isn’t enough information to know what the 79% are. Climate change is affecting the bee population. Bumblebee Conservation Trust Image. Bees are being wiped out by agricultural practices and intensive farming. Silage production at the expense fo hay cropping has resulted in significant losses to grasslands rich in herbs, season-long flowering, and a loss of silage. These important forage sources have been a source of food for bees since the beginning. Using fertilizers promotes the use of rank grassland. This is a low-innumerable area with legume species and flowering plants. This is the most preferred food source for many bee species. The intensive farming and agriculture have reduced the dry steppes’ surface. Andrena Transitoria is an eastern Mediterranean species of bee that used to thrive from Sicily up through Ukraine. Its population has been decimated. The population of Andrena Transitoria has plummeted by 30% in the last ten years due to ploughing, mowing, and grazing flowering plants. The species is now extinct in several European countries. Bombus cullamanus was declared ‘critically endangered’. Image Credit: Pierre Rasmont. Climate change has a negative impact on bee populations in Europe. The bumblebee is the worst affected. The bees’ habitats are being altered by prolonged droughts, heat waves, higher temperatures and unusually heavy downpours. This has led to a decline in their numbers. According to the authors, 25.8% are at risk of becoming extinct. Urban development has led to a number of wild populations being affected. Also, fires are more frequent and intense. The status and future outlook of the Western Honeybee (Apis Melifera), Europe’s most well-known pollinator has not been determined. It is unknown how many of its bees are wild or domesticated. Because the study only focused on wild species, scientists have classified the Western Honeybee data deficient. According to the authors, further research will be needed in order to establish what Apis mellifera’s wild-to-domesticated ratio looks like. Simon Potts is the STEP Project Coordinator. He said that while most people focus their attention on Western Honeybees as being key pollinators, it’s important to remember that many species are responsible for pollination. “We must take broad-based actions to increase both wild and domesticated bee populations. This will have huge benefits for wildlife, countryside, and food production. Karmenu Vella, EU Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries commissioner, stated: “Our quality and future depend on many of the services nature offers free. It is alarming to find out that top-ranked pollinators in the world are under threat. We could be paying a heavy price if we do not address the causes of wild bee declines and take action to reverse it.” The authors call on European policymakers and European officials to prioritize bee conservation. It is important that they focus on both European agricultural policy and the management of protected areas. Both national and European survey programs should be encouraged more. Also, bee taxonomists should be supported enthusiastically (scientists who classify organisms into groups) to make sure that bees are properly assessed and that conservation efforts are effective. The ecosystems of the world depend on bees. Their pollination alone of crops can be estimated at EUR 153 trillion each year worldwide (EUR 22 milliards in Europe). According to the report, “Pollinators support crop accounting for 35% global agricultural production volumes.” Insect pollination is required to increase quality and yields in eighty-four per cent of agricultural produce (non-livestock). Hoverflies, single bees and honeybees are all examples of insect pollinators. IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), wrote that the European Red List of Bees came at a time when progress was being made in implementing Europe’s strategy to halt biodiversity losses. Bumblebees are forced to travel more often on the roadside because they have less food on their crop-facing sides. This is due to increased fertilizer and pesticide usage in agriculture. Scientists say there is a solution. The scientists believe that farmers can encourage wildflowers to flourish by putting a greater barrier between their crop and the hedgerows. Mick Hanley (study leader) said that there have been fields boundaries and hedgerows in these areas for centuries. “But you wouldn’t see this phenomenon if you went back 50 to years,” he added. “Both sides would be flourishing and wildflowers on the crop-facing side would be abundant, but that is before fertilisers were introduced.” Bees have a reduced food supply, according to the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. Two species of bumblebees were discovered in the 75 last years.
