Bigger than honeybees, bumblebees live in small nests of up to 200 and do not make honeycombs.

Almost a quarter of Europe’s bumblebees are at risk of extinction due to loss of habitats and climate change, threatening pollination of crops worth billions of dollars, a study has shown.

Sixteen of 68 bumblebee species in Europe are at risk, the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) said. It is preparing a global study of the bees, whose honeybee cousins are in steep decline because of disease.

“Of the five most important insect pollinators of European crops, three are bumblebee species,” said the IUCN, which groups governments, scientists and conservation groups.

“Together with other pollinators, bumblebees contribute more than €22 billion to European agriculture a year.”

Of Europe’s bumblebee species, populations of almost half are falling and just 13 per cent are increasing, it said.

Often with yellow and black stripes and bigger than honeybees, bumblebees live in small nests of up to 200 and do not make honeycombs. Some bumblebees are commercially bred to pollinate tomatoes, peppers and aubergines in greenhouses.

“Climate change, the intensification of agriculture and changes in agricultural land are the main threats to bumblebees,” said the report.

Efforts clearly need to be scaled up

The EU’s top environment official said the 28-nation bloc was taking action to improve the situation.

“The EU recently banned or restricted the use of certain pesticides that are dangerous to bees and is funding research into status of pollinators,” said EU Environment Commissioner Janez Potoċnik in a statement.

“However, efforts clearly need to be scaled up,” he added. The IUCN study was funded by the European Commission.