A - B | The Species Recovery Trust

Ants

One species of ant has become extinct in England in the last 200 years.

Species: Formica pratensis (black-backed
meadow ant)
Extinct: 1988
Factors leading to extinction: Urban
development and inappropriate land
management

©Andrea Hallgass

Bees

22 species of bee have become extinct In England in the last 200 years, 16 of which are shown below. Bees are threatened by habitat loss, the use of pesticides, disease and invasive bee species.

©Pietro Niolu

Species: Andrena lepida
Extinct: 1952
Factors leading to extinction: Agricultural changes

Species: Andrena nana
Extinct: 1930

©Stefan Schmidt

Species: Andrena nanula
Extinct: 1877

Species: Andrena vaga
Extinct: 1946

©Stefan Schmidt

Species: Bombus distinguendus (great yellow bumblebee)
Extinct: 1981
Factors leading to extinction: Habitat loss

©Stefan Schmidt

©Göran Holmström

Species: Bombus subterraneus (short-haired bumblebee)
Extinct: 1990

Factors leading to extinction: Habitat loss/degradation and agricultural changes

Species: Coelioxys afra
Extinct: 1892
Factors leading to extinction: Habitat loss and changes to agricultural methods

Species: Dufourea halictula
Extinct: 1953

©Stefan Schmidt

Species: Eucera nigrescens
Extinct: 1970
Factors leading to extinction: Agricultural changes and a decline in some of its food plants

Species: Halictus maculates
Extinct: 1930

©Stefan Schmidt

Species: Megachile ericetorum
Extinct: 1844

Species: Megachile lapponica
Extinct: 1847

Species: Melecta luctuosa
Extinct: 1912
Factors leading to extinction: Decline of its host species

Species: Nomada errans
Extinct: 1982

Factors leading to extinction: Cliff stabilisation and scrub encroachment

©Stefan Schmidt

©Stefan Schmidt

Species: Osmia xanthomelana
Extinct: 1998
Factors leading to extinction: Cliff stabilisation, scrub encroachment and agricultural intensification

Species: Rhophites quinquespinosus
Extinct: 1878

©Stefan Schmidt

Beetles

78 species of beetle have become extinct in England in the last 200 years, 55 of which are shown below. Beetles are threatened by habitat loss, pollution, the intensification and expansion of agriculture and the spread of cities.

Species: Acupalpus elegans
Extinct: 1875

Species: Aglyptinus agathidioides
Extinct: 1912

Species: Ampedus sanguineus
Extinct: 1830

Species: Anthrenus pimpinellae
Extinct: 1895

Species: Anthrenus scrophulariae
Extinct: 1800s

Species: Bagous arduus (longitarsis)
Extinct: 1800s

Factors leading to extinction: Water pollution

Species: Bagous binodulus
Extinct: 1861

Factors leading to extinction: Water pollution

Species: Bagous petro
Extinct: 1895

Species: Bidessus minutissimus (Minutest diving beetle)
Extinct: 1908

Factors leading to extinction: Water pollution and poor river management

Species: Bostrichus capucinus
Extinct: 1908

Species: Bothynoderes (Chromoderus) afinis
Extinct: 1883

Species: Cardiophorus gramineus
Extinct: 1863

Factors leading to extinction: poor management

Species: Cardiophorus ruficollis
Extinct: 1833

Species: Ceutorhynchus syrites
Extinct: 1800s

Species: Chrysomela tremula
Extinct: 1958

Factors leading to extinction: Decline in coppicing

Species: Clytra laeviuscula
Extinct: 1895

Species: Coniocleonus hollbergi
Extinct: 1815

Species: Endophloeus markovichianus
Extinct: 1927

Species: Gyrinus natator
Extinct: 1921

Factors leading to extinction: Habitat succession

Species: Hister illigeri
Extinct: 1800s

Species: Hypera arundinis
Extinct: 1800s

Species: Hypocassida subferruginea
Extinct: 1800s

Species: Lamia textor
Extinct: 1953

Species: Lamprohiza splendidula
Extinct: 1884
Factors leading to extinction: Land use and agricultural changes

Species: Lebia marginata
Extinct: 1800

Species: Lebia scapularis
Extinct: 1883

Species: Lepturobosca virens
Extinct: 1800s

Factors leading to extinction: Habitat loss and land use changes

Species: Lepyrus capucinus
Extinct: 1897

Species: Lixus angustatus nec algirus
Extinct: 1928

Species: Lixus paraplecticus
Extinct: 1958
Factors leading to extinction: Habitat loss and modification

Species: Lixus vilis
Extinct: 1905

Species: Meligethes coracinus
Extinct: 1870s

Species: Meloe autumnalis
Extinct: 1952
Factors leading to extinction: Changes in land management

Species: Meloe cicatricosus
Extinct: 1906
Factors leading to extinction: Changes in land management

Species: Meloe mediterraneus
Extinct: 1800s
Factors leading to extinction: Changes in land management

Species: Meloe variegatus
Extinct: 1882
Factors leading to extinction: Changes in land management

Species: Murmidius ovalis
Extinct: 1831
Factors leading to extinction: Habitat loss and land use changes

Species: Mycterus curculioides
Extinct: 1882

Species: Obrium cantharinum
Extinct: 1929
Factors leading to extinction: Habitat loss and land use changes

Species: Paederidus rubrothoracicus
Extinct: 1870

Species: Philonthus confinis
Extinct: 1902

Species: Phloeophagus gracilis
Extinct: 1897
Factors leading to extinction: Land use changes

Species: Plagionotus arcuatus
Extinct: 1800s

Species: Platycerus caraboides (Blue stag beetle)
Extinct: 1839

Species: Pleurophorus caesus
Extinct: 1890

Species: Polyphylla fullo
Extinct: mid-1800s

Species: Pterostichus aterrimus
Extinct: 1973
Factors leading to extinction: Habitat loss and degradation

Species: Rhynchites bacchus
Extinct: 1843

Species: Rhyssemus germanus
Extinct: 1800s
Factors leading to extinction: Habitat loss and poor management

Species: Spercheus emarginatus
Extinct: 1956
Factors leading to extinction: Loss of fenland habitat

Species: Strangalia attenuata
Extinct: 1845

Species: Tilloidea unifasciatus
Extinct: 1877

Species: Trichodes alvearius
Extinct: 1800s

Species: Trichodes apiarius
Extinct: 1830

Species: Tychius polylineatus
Extinct: 1909

Birds

Seven species of bird have become extinct in England in the last 200 years. Birds are threatened by habitat loss, human disturbance, agriculture and hunting.

Species: Charadrius alexandrines (Kentish plover)
Extinct: 1928
Factors leading to extinction: Human disturbance

Species: Chlidonias niger (Black tern)
Extinct: 1840s-1850s
Factors leading to extinction: Loss of wetlands

Species: Ciconia ciconia (White stork)
Extinct: Unknown
Factors leading to extinction: There is no clear understanding of why this bird failed to survive in the UK.

Species: Crex crex (Corncrake)
Extinct: Early 1990s
Factors leading to extinction: The mechanisation of mowing and the earlier mowing of grass crops

Species: Lanius collurio (Red-backed shrike)
Extinct: 1988
Factors leading to extinction: Habitat loss, agricultural intensification and egg collecting

Species: Otis tarda (Great bustard)
Extinct: 1833
Factors leading to extinction: Expansion and intensification of agriculture

Henrique Oliveira Pires

Species: Pinguinus impennis (Great auk)
Extinct: 1820s
Factors leading to extinction: Hunting

Butterflies

Five species of butterfly have become extinct in England in the last 200 years. Butterflies are threatened by the intensification and mechanisation of agriculture, changes in land management, and the use of both pesticides and herbicides.

Aporia crataegi (Black-veined white).jpg

Species: Aporia crataegi (Black-veined white)
Extinct: 1890s-1920s
Factors leading to extinction: Numbers crashed during a prolonged wet period

Species: Carterocephalus palaemon (Chequered skipper)
Extinct: 1976
Factors leading to extinction: Habitat loss and neglect

Species: Cyaniris semiargus (Mazarine blue)
Extinct: 1903
Factors leading to extinction: Changes in agricultural practices

Species: Lycaena dispar (Large copper)
Extinct: 1864
Factors leading to extinction: The draining of the fens where it used to breed

Species: Nymphalis polychloros (Large tortoiseshell)
Extinct: c1953
Factors leading to extinction: Dutch elm disease eradicated main larval food source

Flies

Ants

Bees

Beetles

Birds

Butterflies