Discovery of 71 New Resin Pot Bee Species Expands Australia's Native Bee Roster.

In a major boost to biodiversity knowledge, Australian scientists have identified 71 new native bee species belonging to the resin pot bee group, Megachile (Austrochile). These bees, which craft protective resin pots for their offspring, are found across Australia in every state and territory—except Tasmania.

True to their name, resin pot bees use tree resin to build hanging brood chambers, often attaching them individually to twigs or clustering them on tree bark. These solitary bees are known for their distinctive nesting behavior.

Lead researcher Dr. Remko Leijs from the South Australian Museum noted that the group was initially believed to contain only seven species. "In 1992, an additional 18 were described in a master's thesis by Dr. Judith King of the Queensland Museum, who is also a co-author on this study," he said.

Fieldwork over the years, including expeditions under the Bush Blitz program, added another 23 species to the tally. Bush Blitz—an initiative supported by the Australian Government, BHP Billiton, and Earth Watch Australia—aims to uncover undocumented species by surveying remote conservation areas.

Additionally, researchers examined entomological collections across Australia and identified 20 more undescribed species. "This highlights the invaluable role of such collections as repositories for future scientific discoveries," Dr. Leijs emphasized.

Despite the significance of native bees in pollinating both crops and native flora, Australia's bee diversity remains poorly documented. Dr. Katja Hogendoorn of the University of Adelaide pointed out that approximately one-third of Australia's bee species have yet to be formally described. "Limited funding for taxonomy hinders our ability to assess their conservation status or implement protective measures," she said. "We risk losing species we haven't even discovered yet."

With this latest discovery, the number of recognized resin pot bee species rises to 78—nearly half of which are known from only a single location. Dr. James Dorey from the University of Wollongong noted that many of these species likely have small, restricted ranges. "But we still lack sufficient data on their population sizes or habitats to evaluate their conservation needs," he added.

Source:https://phys.org/news/2025-05-scientists-australian-bee-species.html

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