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Yes—many pollinator species face elevated extinction risk, but there is no single global count established by the evidence cited here. A 2025 assessment estimated that 22.6% of 1,579 native insect and vertebrate pollinator species assessed in mainland North America north of Mexico were at elevated risk. The findings vary by group, and European assessments show separate threats across bees, butterflies and hoverflies.
What does “thousands of pollinators at risk” mean?
It describes a broad conservation concern, not a precise current worldwide tally. Pollinators include insects such as bees, butterflies, moths and flower flies, as well as vertebrates that transfer pollen. The strongest recent species-by-species estimate cited here covers 1,579 native vertebrate and insect pollinators in mainland North America north of Mexico—not every pollinator species worldwide.
Researchers publishing in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences in 2025 estimated elevated extinction risk in 22.6% of the assessed species, with a reported range of 20.6% to 29.6%. These figures refer to assessed species in that study’s geographic scope, not to the proportion of all pollinators on Earth. Read the 2025 North American assessment.
Which pollinators were most at risk in the North American assessment?
The researchers reported different estimates for each assessed group. The percentages below are group-specific estimates from the same 2025 North American assessment; they are not global rates.
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| Pollinator group | Assessed species | Estimated share at elevated extinction risk |
|---|---|---|
| Bees | 472 | 34.7% |
| Butterflies | 632 | 19.5% |
| Moths | 142 | 16.1% |
| Flower flies | 295 | 14.7% |
The higher estimate for bees does not mean that every bee species is at risk, or that the other groups face the same level of threat. The study assesses extinction risk across particular groups and a defined region; it should not be treated as a uniform measure of population decline everywhere.
What do European assessments show?
European figures are a separate regional picture. In a 2023 communication, the European Commission cited a European Red List assessment finding that around one in ten bee and butterfly species, and one in three hoverfly species, were threatened with extinction. These are European estimates, not global rates. Read the European Commission’s 2023 pollinators communication.
The picture has also continued to change. On 1 October 2025, the IUCN Red List reported that nearly 100 threatened wild European bee species had been added to the Red List, and that the number of threatened European butterfly species had risen by 76% over the preceding decade. Those are IUCN updates for Europe, not a harmonized comparison with the North American study. Read the IUCN Red List update.
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Why does pollinator loss matter?
Animal pollination supports both wild plants and food production. The European Commission says that around four in five crop and wild-flowering plant species in Europe depend, at least to some extent, on animal pollination delivered by thousands of insect species. It estimates pollination’s contribution to EU agricultural output at at least EUR 5 billion per year. Both figures refer to Europe and the EU, respectively—not the world as a whole.
These figures help explain why pollinator conservation matters, but they do not mean that every crop depends equally on pollinators or that a loss of a particular species translates directly into a fixed financial loss.
What puts pollinators at risk?
There is no single cause that explains every species’ risk. The European Commission and the 2016 IPBES assessment identify overlapping pressures, whose importance can vary by place and pollinator:
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- Land-use change and habitat loss: Conversion and alteration of natural areas can reduce nesting sites, food plants and connected habitat.
- Intensive agriculture and pesticide use: Intensive management can change habitat and food availability, while pesticide exposure is a documented pressure.
- Pollution: Environmental pollution can affect pollinators and the environments on which they depend.
- Invasive alien species: Introduced species can alter ecological relationships and habitat.
- Climate change: Changing conditions can affect species and the timing or availability of resources.
- Pests and pathogens: Biological pressures are also included among the drivers in the IPBES assessment.
Several pressures can act together, so a single-cause explanation is not appropriate for all pollinator declines. The IPBES assessment offers a broad synthesis of pollinators, pollination and food production; it was published in 2016 and is not a current species-by-species count. Read the IPBES assessment chapters.
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One practical step is to provide suitable habitat with plants that support local pollinators. The European Commission recommends pollinator-friendly native plants and seed mixes in settings such as private gardens, public areas, farmland and forests. The right choice depends on local ecology and the planting site.
- Choose species native to your region, using local conservation or extension guidance where available.
- Check that a seed mix suits the site’s conditions and contains species appropriate for the area; “wildflower” on a label does not by itself establish local suitability.
- Consider the intended habitat and planting setting before sowing, rather than treating one mix as suitable everywhere.
A native wildflower seed mix can be one tool for creating habitat, but the evidence cited here does not identify a preferred brand or establish that any generic mix is appropriate. Local native-plant guidance is the better starting point.
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How should these risk estimates be compared?
Extinction-risk estimates are not interchangeable with population trends, and regional assessments may differ in the species they include, their data and their methods. Before comparing figures, check:
- Geography: Is the estimate for North America, Europe or another defined area?
- Taxonomic coverage: Which pollinator groups and species were assessed?
- Date: When was the assessment conducted or reported?
- Measure: Does the figure describe assessed extinction risk, threatened status or a change in the number of species listed as threatened?
For those reasons, the North American 2025 estimate, the European Commission’s cited Red List figures and the IUCN’s 2025 update should be read as distinct findings—not combined into a worldwide percentage.
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