Discovery of a New Australian Native Bee
The discovery of a horned native bee that pollinates a rare plant highlights the limited knowledge about Australian pollinators. The female bee has devil-like black horns and prefers extremely rare pollen. Until now, this bee had never been officially named or identified.
Megachile (Hackeriapis) lucifer
My discovery of Megachile (Hackeriapis) lucifer reveals the significant gaps in understanding and funding regarding Australia's native bees. While much attention has been given to the introduced European honey bee, Apis mellifera, hundreds of native bee species remain unnamed and unidentified.
Initial Discovery
This fascinating leaf cutter bee was first found during a 2019 survey in the Bremer Ranges, part of Western Australia's goldfields region. The survey focused on pollinators like bees, flies, and wasps of the critically endangered plant Bremer marianthus or Marianthus aquilonaris, which only grows in this area.
Significance of the Find
The pollinators for this rare shrub with blue-tinged white flowers were previously unknown, a common situation for many threatened plants. One collected native bee immediately stood out because the female had large black horns protruding from her clypeus, the broad plate on the front of her head.
"When I investigated, it was clear this wasn’t a species that had been found before."
Summary
This discovery sheds light on the urgent need to study and protect Australia's diverse native bee species, many of which remain undocumented and crucial for pollination.