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Australia—Known for its deadly snakes, spiders, and sharks, Australia has now revealed another extraordinary and striking creature—the horned ‘Lucifer’ bee. Scientists have named it Megachile (Hackeriapis) lucifer, capturing attention with both its unique appearance and striking name.
This new bee species was discovered in Western Australia, with Curtin University announcing the finding on Tuesday. Dr. Kit Prendergast first spotted the bee in 2019 while surveying endangered wildflowers.
According to Dr. Prendergast, the female bee’s tiny, sharp horns on its face were unlike anything previously seen. A fan of Netflix’s popular show ‘Lucifer,’ she found the bee’s unusual appearance fitting for the name.
Dr. Prendergast described the discovery as historic for Australia’s biodiversity, noting it is the first new species described in over 20 years. With mining activities threatening native species, this discovery raises awareness about protecting unknown and unrecorded creatures.
“If we don’t know which bees exist where and which plants they depend on, we risk losing both bees and plants before even discovering them,” Dr. Prendergast explained. The discovery of the Lucifer bee offers new hope for conservation efforts and preserving biodiversity in Australia.
