Over one-fifth of native North American pollinators at elevated risk of extinction

A pivotal new study led by NatureServe reveals that more than 22% of native pollinators in North America are at an elevated risk of extinction. This first-of-its-kind, taxonomically diverse assessment evaluated nearly 1,600 species—including bees, beetles, butterflies, moths, flower flies, bats and hummingbirds—shedding light on the growing biodiversity crisis affecting ecosystems and food security.

Key findings

One in five pollinators at risk: 22.6% of assessed species face elevated extinction risk, underscoring an urgent need for conservation.
Bees most threatened: 34.7% of assessed native bee species are at risk, particularly leafcutter and digger bees, which face the highest levels of imperilment.
Bats vs. hummingbirds: All three pollinating bat species are at risk, while all hummingbirds were found to be at low extinction risk.
Geographic hotspots: The highest concentrations of at-risk species are found in the American Southwest correlating with high species richness and climate-related stressors.
Primary threats: Climate change, agriculture, habitat loss and urban development are the leading threats, varying regionally across North America.