Nearly 100 additional wild bee species in Europe are now threatened according to the latest assessment of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of threatened species.
The updated list now lists over 20 per cent of the species in groups such as bumblebees and cellophane bees facing a risk of extinction.
The list, released at the ongoing IUCN Congress 2025 in Abu Dhabi, revealed that the number of threatened European butterfly species saw a steep increase of 76 per cent in the past decade.
Funded by the European Commission, the latest European-level assessments for the IUCN Red List re-evaluates the conservation status of a large number of species groups for the first time since the early and mid-2010s: bees, butterflies, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, freshwater fishes and molluscs, saproxylic (wood-dependent) beetles, dragonflies and damselflies, the IUCN statement said.
“The new assessment shows that the conservation status of European wild bees, butterflies and other pollinators is dire. These are the foundation for our food systems, our ecosystems and our societies. Urgent and collective action is needed to tackle this threat, said Jessika Roswall, EU Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy.
The IUCN Red list stated that about 10 per cent of the wild bees in Europe — at least 172 out of the 1,928 assessed species — face extinction compared to the 77 threatened species estimated in 2014. During that time, 57 per cent of the wild bee species were classified as ‘Data Deficient’, the percentage for which has reduced to 14 per cent in the fresh assessment.
“Fifteen species of bumblebees — known for their role in pollinating legume plants like peas, beans, peanuts and clover — as well as 14 species of cellophane bees — which help pollinate plants in the daisy family and trees such as red maples and willows — are now classified as ‘Threatened’. The mining bee species Simpanurgus phyllopodus, the only species of this genus in Europe and unique to the continent, is now assessed as Critically Endangered,” the statement said.
The new Red List assessments indicate that 15 per cent of butterflies in Europe face extinction risk (65 out of 442 assessed species), up from 37 species in 2010, IUCN observed. Over 40 per cent of butterflies unique to the European region and found nowhere else in the world are now threatened or close to being so. One species, the Madeiran large white (Pieris wollastoni), which was restricted to the Portuguese island of Madeira, is now officially classified as ‘Extinct’.
Habitat loss is the primary threat to European wild bees and butterflies, which now extends to major number of species. European pollinators are majorly dependent on rural landscapes, especially flower-rich meadows owing to non-intensive management.
Agriculture and forestry intensification, compounded with land abandonment in less productive zones, is adding to the degradation and fragmentation of habitats, significant for pollinators.
It also found that nitrogen deposits from fertiliser and widespread pesticide applications and herbicides reduce flower diversity, resulting in decline of pollinators such as shiny dufourea (Dufourea minuta). Once abundant, the bee species has now nearly completely disappeared from the plains of central Europe, earning it the classification of Endangered.
“Compounding these challenges, climate change now affects 52 per cent of threatened species of butterflies — approximately twice as many as in the previous report,” the IUCN statement said.
Prolonged hot days, droughts and extensive wildfires are increasingly negatively impacting butterfly habitats in southern Europe while encroaching on sensitive bog and tundra habitats in Alpine and Boreal zones, it added.
“Several species, such as the Critically Endangered Nevada grayling (Pseudochazara williamsi), now restricted to a few mountain ranges in south-east Spain, suffer from a combination of habitat loss and climate change. The effects of warmer temperatures on bees are mixed. While bumblebees and other cold-adapted species groups are negatively affected, others, such as carpenter bees, are benefiting from warmer temperatures, which accelerate their development and breeding,” the IUCN observed.
Denis Michez, Professor at the University of Mons and lead coordinator of the European wild bees assessment, said, “Up to 90 per cent of flowering plants in Europe depend on animal pollination, especially on bees, which are very diverse in their number and variety of species. Sadly, wild bee populations are in drastic decline and cannot be easily replaced by managed colonies, which comprise less than 1 per cent of the existing species and are selected for their ability to produce honey or pollinate crops. If wild bees disappear, many wild plants might be at risk too — of which flower-rich meadows and beautiful orchid species are just a few examples.”
“Beyond their beauty and cultural significance, pollinators like bees and butterflies are lifelines for our health, our food systems and our economies — sustaining the fruits, vegetables and seeds that nourish us. In fact, four out of five crop and wildflower species in the EU rely on insect pollination. The latest European Red List assessments reveal serious challenges, with threats mounting for butterflies and crucial wild bee species,” said Grethel Aguilar, IUCN Director General, in the statement.
The publication of the bee and butterfly assessments follows the first Europe-wide assessment of hoverflies, another crucial pollinator group. Published in 2022, it revealed that 37 per cent of all hoverfly species in Europe are threatened with extinction.