10% of European bees facing extinction, experts warn

Almost one in 10 of Europe’s bee species is facing extinction, conservation experts have warned.

The first assessment of all 1,965 species of bees found across Europe found 9.2% were threatened with extinction, while the situation was even worse for bumblebees, with a quarter at risk of dying out.

Seven species were at the highest level of risk, critically endangered, with three of the species found only in Europe, while 46 were endangered and 24 were vulnerable to extinction.