There are over 20,000 bee species worldwide, and one more was just added to the list after a survey of pollinators in one of Australia's remotest areas.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that a new "horned" bee species was discovered in the Bremer Range in Western Australia. The area is some 600 kilometers (373 miles) east of Perth, one of the world's most remote cities.
Dr. Kit Prendergast, a native bee scientist, was stunned by the area's biodiversity, saying: "I have never seen so many insects — not just native bees, but wasps, flies. It was incredible."
The highlight of the trip was examining the critically endangered native flower, Marianthus aquilonaris, which is endemic to the Bremer Range. Prendergast noticed it was being tended to by a distinctive-looking pollinator. Its head was adorned with what appeared to be a pair of horns. This never-before-seen bee was dubbed the Lucifer bee after the Netflix show.
It's not yet clear what function the "horns" perform, but only females have them. They are solitary bees. Bees are thought of as social creatures who live in large colonies, but that's not actually the case for the overwhelming majority of bee species.
About 90% of the world's bee species are solitary, and females do all of the work, from pollinating to rearing young. In other words, like most working mothers, all female, solitary bees can be considered queens.
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Few people live in the area, but it is known for mining activity, which is lucrative but causes immense ecological destruction. With more projects in the works, the discovery of the Lucifer bee raises important questions about the environmental impact of land clearing for mining. It's also a reminder of the wonderful secrets that still remain untouched in nature.
Economic development does not have to come at the expense of biodiversity, but that is far too often the case. That's why staying informed and engaging in productive conversations to help spread the word are so important to protecting the voiceless victims of unsustainable growth.
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