ATREE researchers discover two new bee species in Arunachal Pradesh
Researchers from the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) have discovered two new species of solitary bees in Arunachal Pradesh. The
Researchers from the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) have discovered two new species of solitary bees in Arunachal Pradesh. The species, which belong to the genera Elaphropoda and Habropoda, have been named Elaphropoda triangulata, after the triangle-shaped markings on its abdomen, and Habropoda adi, after the Adi indigenous community of Arunachal Pradesh, which inhabits the region where the bees were collected. Ground-nesting solitary bees According to Femi Ezhuthupallickal Benny and Priyadarsanan Dharma Rajan, who conducted the study, these species belong to the bee subfamily Anthophorinae, which consists largely of ground-nesting solitary bees.
They noted that, as vital pollinators, solitary bees have increasingly gained research and conservation attention in recent years. These bees were collected using Malaise traps, a passive sampling method that captures flying insects over extended periods and is particularly effective in detecting elusive or low-density species that conventional netting often misses. How little we know “These bees are rare and seldom collected, which is part of the reason they have remained undescribed for so long.
Their discovery is a reminder of how little we still know about bee diversity in India, and in Arunachal Pradesh in particular,” said Ms. Femi, who is currently pursuing a PhD at University College London. “This work takes on added urgency given the pace of change in the region. Arunachal Pradesh is currently undergoing rapid infrastructural development, including construction activities and a recently announced hydropower project, raising concerns about habitat disturbance in areas that have not yet been comprehensively surveyed,” said Dr. Priyadarsanan.
Need for research The discovery of these two species, the authors said, strengthens the case for prioritising taxonomic and ecological research in the region before such habitats are altered. Of the 483 new species discovered in India last year, 65 were from Arunachal Pradesh.
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