The endangered bumble bee (Bombus Latr.) species in Hungary and the need of protection
Abstract
The estimation of the conservation status of the Hungarian bumble bee species was made by mapping occurrence and calculating distribution frequency of the species as well as the temporal trends in the frequency. In our database over 5,200 data represented 25 Bombus species. About half of the native species showed a declining trend in frequency during the last 6 decades. Using the IUCN Red List Categories we can classify the species as follows: two species are “data deficient” (DD), two species are “extinct” from Hungary (EX), 7 species are “critically endangered” (CR), three species are “endangered” (EN), two species are “vulnerable” (VU) and the other 9 species are in the category of “lower risk” (LR). On the basis of our data we suggest official protection for 12 Bombus species in Hungary.
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