The Wallace Giant Bee, as big as an adult’s thumb, has made its appearance in Indonesia after nearly 40 years. The size of this creature might frighten many, but its return has become a topic of interest for researchers.
According to CNN, a team of researchers “rediscovered” and subsequently captured the first images and video of the Wallace Giant Bee on January 25. This creature “re-emerged” after being absent since 1981. The research team—comprised of photographer Clay Bolt, entomologist Eli Wyman, behavioral ecologist Simon Robson, and biologist Glenn Chilton—spent several years studying this mysterious bee species that inhabits the wet forests of Indonesia before finally encountering one.
Image of the Wallace Giant Bee.
The rediscovery of this bee has sparked hope that the surrounding forest area could be a refuge for this rare species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies this insect as “vulnerable” due to mining and quarrying activities.
Previously, only two other researchers had been fortunate enough to have seen this bee. The first was British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace, who discovered a giant bee in 1858 on the tropical island of Bacan, Indonesia. The second was entomologist Adam Messer, who identified the species in 1981.
Meanwhile, the recent research group traced the nests of termites in the forests of the remote North Moluccas island in Indonesia. They gathered information about the behavior and habitat of the giant bee from Adam Messer’s documentation and surveyed satellite images of the island to familiarize themselves with the terrain. Scientists learned that the Wallace Giant Bee is typically found in lowland forests and in termite mounds within trees.
A team member climbed a tree to inspect a “suspicious” bee nest.
However, deforestation in Indonesia has increased in recent years to make way for agricultural development, shrinking the natural habitat of the bees and making it very difficult for humans to spot them.
The expedition team had to observe each nest for about half an hour before moving on to the next one. At times, they thought they encountered a giant bee, but it was mostly wasps.
On the last day of the five-day expedition, the guide and interpreter discovered a bee nest in a tree about 1.6 meters off the ground. When photographer Bolt climbed the tree for a better look inside the nest, he spotted a female Wallace Giant Bee. “This is a memorable and wonderful moment,” photographer Bolt stated. The team then captured the first images of this rare bee species.
“We were breathless when we saw this ‘giant flying machine’ of an insect that we thought was extinct. We found tangible evidence right before our eyes, in the natural world,” said Clay Bolt, the nature photographer who took the first photos and videos of the Wallace Bee.
“I was thrilled to witness the beauty and massive size of this species in nature, hearing the buzzing of its giant wings as it flew over me. It was unbelievable,” he expressed.
The giant bee discovered by American and Australian scientists on the remote Moluccas Islands in northeastern Indonesia.
This giant bee species was found in the North Moluccas Islands, raising hopes that the dense forests in this area still serve as a safe haven for one of the world’s rarest and most sought-after insects. Currently, there are no laws protecting the Wallace Bee from hunting and trafficking.
The rare Wallace Bee measures up to 4 cm in length, with a wingspan reaching up to 6 cm, making it the largest bee in the world. Females nest in termite mounds, using their large jaws to collect sticky tree resin to protect against termite invasion. The co-developer of the theory of evolution with Charles Darwin described it as “a large black insect with jaws as big as a beetle’s.”
In efforts to conserve many rare species, scientists are striving to rediscover animals and plants that were once thought to be “extinct.” Robin Moore from the Global Wildlife Conservation organization stated: “Finding and restoring this bee species will open a brighter future for this creature.”
