A new study reveals there are an estimated 26,000 unique bee species globally, a staggering jump from previous counts. This "specialization explosion" is the result of millions of years of bees co-evolving with specific flowers and microecosystems.
Breakdown
- Study finds 26,000 unique bee species worldwide, 5,000 more than expected 10s
- Scientists discover about 117 new bee species each year, causing a naming backlog 27s
- Most bees are solitary, not colony dwellers like honeybees 2m 25s
- Conservation should focus on native bees, not just honeybees 2m 28s
- Many bee species remain unnamed and are vulnerable to environmental changes 3m 9s