Horned bee discovered in Australian, named ‘Lucifer’

New Delhi: Scientists have discovered a devilish new species of bee with ‘horns’ at Goldfields in Western Australia, during surveys of a critically endangered wildflower that only grows in the Bremer Range region that is at risk of mining, located between the towns of Norseman and Hyden. The discovery of the bee highlights the knowledge gaps in the native pollinators of Australia, and the need to understand better before their habitats are disturbed. The horned face of the female bee inspired the scientists to name the bee Megachile (Hackeriapis) lucifer . This is the first new bee described in over 20 years.

The discovery of the new species in the same region as the endangered wildflower indicates that both could be at risk from disturbances to the habitat, as well as other processes