In July 2016, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed 608 vulnerable insect species. 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. 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".
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.
Dytiscids
Longhorn beetles
Scarabaeids
Other beetle species
Diptera
Hymenoptera
There are 155 species in the order Hymenoptera assessed as vulnerable.
Ants
Colletids
Melittids
- Melitta hispanica
- Melitta kastiliensis
Apids
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)
Swallowtail butterflies
Lycaenids
Nymphalids
Species
Subspecies
Skippers
- Dakota skipper (Hesperia dacotae)
- Cinquefoil skipper (Pyrgus cirsii)
Pierids
Mantodea
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.
Chlorogomphids
Chlorocyphids
Platycnemidids
Megapodagrionids
Gomphids
Species
Subspecies
- Erpetogomphus lampropeltis lampropeltis
Coenagrionids
Species
Subspecies
Aeshnids
Libellulids
Other Odonata species
Orthoptera
There are 137 species in the order Orthoptera assessed as vulnerable.
Crickets
Acridids
Stenopelmatids
Tettigoniids
Rhaphidophorids
Phaneropterids
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
References
