One in ten wild bees face extinction in Europe

Almost one in 10 of Europe's native wild bees face extinction, according to the most comprehensive expert assessment so far. The European Red List, drawn up by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, found 9.2% of nearly 2,000 species are threatened with extinction. Another 5% are likely to be threatened in the near future. Threats include loss of habitat from intensive farming, pesticide use, urban development and climate change. Continue reading the main story “ Start Quote If we don't address the roots of the decline in wild bees, and act urgently to stop it, we could pay a very heavy price indeed” Karmenu Vella EU commissioner for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Jean-Christophe Vié, of the IUCN Global Species Programme, said the assessment was the best understanding so far on wild bees in Europe, but knowledge was incomplete due to "an alarming lack of expertise and resources". "Bees play an essential role in the pollination of our crops," he said. "We must urgently invest in further research in order to provide the best possible recommendations on how to reverse their decline."-READ MORE-http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-31963056