(19 March 2015) – Europe’s wild bees are in decline, according to new research published today.
The assessment, published as part of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) European Red List of Bees and the Status and Trends of European Pollinators (STEP) project, found that 9.2% of European wild bee species are threatened with extinction, while 5.2% are considered likely to be threatened in the near future.
The report provides for the first time information on all 1 965 wild bee species in Europe, including their status, distribution, population trends and threats.
At the same time, it stresses the need for further research to guide effective conservation action and reverse their decline.
More than half of all species are classified as “Data Deficient”, as lack of experts, data and funding has made it impossible to evaluate their extinction risk.