Bee declines
- More than half of Ireland’s bee species have undergone substantial declines in their numbers since 1980. The distribution of 42 species has declined by more than 50%.
- A Red List is an internationally recognised method for assessing the conservation status of a species. In 2006 an Irish Bee Red List was published. It tells us that 30% of the Irish species are threatened with extinction. Six species are critically endangered, 10 are endangered and 14 species are vulnerable.
Two species have become extinct in Ireland within the last 80 years (Andrena rosae & Nomada sheppardana). One species thought to be extinct (Andrena fulva left) was rediscovered in 2012.
- Ireland has 21 bumblebee species, of which 4 are endangered and 2 are vulnerable.