H is for Hydropsyche tobiasi

Hydropsyche tobiasi
Tobias’ caddisfly

Where it lived: on the Rhine River in Germany, which supported its aquatic larvae

Last seen in: 1938

Declared extinct by IUCN in: 1983

Extinction causes:

extensive river pollution in the early 20th century

“The Rhine and Main rivers were heavily polluted during the 20th century and almost all Trichoptera [caddisfly] species became extinct there.” —IUCN

There may be as many as 5.5 million insect species, but only about 1/5 of these are named and identified—making it especially challenging to understand how many insects are threatened or already extinct.

For now, scientists estimate that of the 1 million species facing extinction in the coming decades, about half of them are insects.

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H is for Hydropsyche tobiasi

“The Rhine and Main rivers were heavily polluted during the 20th century and almost all Trichoptera [caddisfly] species became extinct there.” —IUCN

There may be as many as 5.5 million insect species, but only about 1/5 of these are named and identified—making it especially challenging to understand how many insects are threatened or already extinct.

For now, scientists estimate that of the 1 million species facing extinction in the coming decades, about half of them are insects.