(MENAFN) A sweeping new conservation report has sounded the alarm over the accelerating decline of Europe’s wild bees and butterflies, warning that these critical pollinators are edging closer to extinction at an unprecedented rate.

The updated International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, released at the European level, reveals a stark increase in the number of species under threat. Nearly 100 additional wild bee species have been newly classified as threatened since the last major assessment, pushing the total to 172 out of 1,928 evaluated species. This marks a dramatic rise from the 77 species listed in 2014—meaning that roughly 1 in 10 wild bee species across Europe are now at risk.

Among the most imperiled are key pollinators such as bumblebees and cellophane bees. According to the IUCN, “more than 20% of both bumblebee and cellophane bee species are now under threat.” That includes 15 species of bumblebees—essential for crops like peas, beans, and clover—and 14 species of cellophane bees, vital pollinators for daisies and trees such as red maples.

Butterflies, too, are experiencing a sharp decline. Of the 442 butterfly species assessed, 65—or nearly 15%—are now threatened with extinction, a significant jump from 37 species flagged in 2010. Alarmingly, over 40% of Europe’s endemic butterfly species are either threatened or teetering on the edge.

Conservationists warn the implications are severe—not only for biodiversity, but for the stability of ecosystems and food security across the continent. The data, they say, underscores a pressing need for policy action, habitat protection, and sustainable land management to reverse the trend.

The IUCN report paints what experts call a “dire” picture for Europe's pollinators, as their decline could trigger cascading impacts on both natural environments and agricultural productivity.

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