European Red List of bees - measuring the pulse of European biodiversity

Bees are vital pollinators, underpinning ecosystem health and food security. Four out of five crop and wildflower species depend, at least in part, on insect pollination, with wild bees making the largest contribution. The economic value of pollinators to EU agriculture is estimated between €5 and €15 billion annually. Beyond their economic role, bees are keystone species that maintain biodiversity through pollination networks. This 2026 update of the European Red List of Bees delivers the most comprehensive regional assessment yet of Europe’s wild bee species. Building on the 2014 assessment, this edition incorporates new taxonomic insights, extensive distribution data, and updated evaluations of threats, conservation needs, and population trends. In total, 1,928 native or long-established species were assessed across the European continent and 27 Member States of the European Union, supported by a dataset of more than 4.3 million spatial records. The reassessment was coordinated by the University of Mons and IUCN, involving over 200 experts, including data providers.