Discovery of a new species of horned bee called “Lucifer”

Insect takes its name from the Netflix series

A species of small horned bee called “Lucifer” has been discovered in a remote region of Australia. The bee was found in the Goldfields region of Western Australia, about 300 miles east of Perth, the Telegraph reports.

Only females have distinctive horns protruding from their heads. These can be used for protection or as a way to collect nectar and pollen, said Dr Kit Prendergast of Curtin University, who discovered the insect.

The decision to name the bee “Lucifer” was inspired by Dr. Prendergast’s love of the Netflix series of the same name.

Its full scientific name is Megachili (Hackeriapis) Lucifer. In Christian theology, Lucifer is a fallen angel cast out of heaven and is often associated with Satan.

The bee was discovered almost by chance while researchers were studying a rare wildflower that grows in a restricted area of ​​the Bremer Mountains in the Goldfields region.

“These horns are very distinctive and evil. I wanted to give it an evil name, so I chose Lucifer,” Dr Prendergast told news site PerthNow. “Lucifer means ‘bringer of light’ in Latin – I want to shed light on the issues surrounding the lack of conservation of native bees and the number of species that remain undescribed.

Announcing their discovery in the Journal of Hymenoptera Research, the scientists called for the area where the bees and wildflowers are found to be placed under official protection so that it cannot be cleared for mining or agricultural purposes. Protecting the bee would mean protecting the entire ecosystem on which it depends.

“We don’t even know the names of the native bees that evolved in Australia, they haven’t been described, we don’t know their distribution, or where they nest. It’s very important to describe this species, given that it visits an endangered plant. Mining poses a serious threat to wildlife in many resource-rich parts of Australia. Many mining companies still don’t monitor native bees, so we risk missing out on undescribed species, including those that play a role key role in maintaining endangered plants and ecosystems.

Photo illustrative de Pixabay : https://www.pexels.com/photo/brown-and-black-bee-on-yellow-flower-nectar-460961/