List of vulnerable insects explained

In July 2016, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed 608 vulnerable insect species.^[1] Of all evaluated insect species, 10% are listed as vulnerable. The IUCN also lists 15 insect subspecies as vulnerable.

No subpopulations of insects have been evaluated by the IUCN.

For a species to be assessed as vulnerable to extinction the best available evidence must meet quantitative criteria set by the IUCN designed to reflect "a high risk of extinction in the wild". Endangered and critically endangered species also meet the quantitative criteria of vulnerable species, and are listed separately. See: List of endangered insects, List of critically endangered insects. Vulnerable, endangered and critically endangered species are collectively referred to as threatened species by the IUCN.

Additionally 1702 insect species (28% of those evaluated) are listed as data deficient, meaning there is insufficient information for a full assessment of conservation status. As these species typically have small distributions and/or populations, they are intrinsically likely to be threatened, according to the IUCN.^[2] While the category of data deficient indicates that no assessment of extinction risk has been made for the taxa, the IUCN notes that it may be appropriate to give them "the same degree of attention as threatened taxa, at least until their status can be assessed".^[3]

This is a complete list of vulnerable insect species and subspecies as evaluated by the IUCN.

Coleoptera

There are 50 beetle species assessed as vulnerable.

Other beetle species

Hymenoptera

There are 155 species in the order Hymenoptera assessed as vulnerable.

Melittids

• Melitta hispanica
• Melitta kastiliensis

Megachilids

• Wallace's giant bee (Megachile pluto)

Lepidoptera

Lepidoptera comprises moths and butterflies. There are 128 species and ten subspecies in the order Lepidoptera assessed as vulnerable.

Lasiocampids

• Small lappet moth (Phyllodesma ilicifolia)

Nymphalids

SpeciesSubspecies

Skippers

• Dakota skipper (Hesperia dacotae)
• Cinquefoil skipper (Pyrgus cirsii)

Pierids

Notoptera

• Mount St Helens' grylloblattid (Grylloblatta chirurgica)

Odonata

Odonata includes dragonflies and damselflies. There are 129 species and five subspecies in the order Odonata assessed as vulnerable.

Gomphids

SpeciesSubspecies

• Erpetogomphus lampropeltis lampropeltis

Coenagrionids

SpeciesSubspecies

Other Odonata species

Orthoptera

There are 137 species in the order Orthoptera assessed as vulnerable.

Other Orthoptera species

Phasmatodea

• Peppermint stick insect (Megacrania batesii)

Plecoptera

• Otway stonefly (Eusthenia nothofagi)
• Mount Kosciusko wingless stonefly (Leptoperla cacuminis)

See also

• Lists of IUCN Red List vulnerable species
• List of least concern insects
• List of near threatened insects
• List of endangered insects
• List of critically endangered insects
• List of recently extinct insects
• List of data deficient insects

Notes and References

1. Web site: IUCN Red List version 2016.1. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources . 4 July 2016.
2. Web site: Limitations of the Data. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources . 11 January 2016.
3. Web site: 2001 Categories & Criteria (version 3.1). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources . 11 January 2016.