Long-Lost Mega-Rare Blue Bee Is Rediscovered

May 30, 2020 by apost team

Florida Museum of Natural History researcher Chase Kimmel found a blue Calamintha bee on March 9. The “ultra-rare” metallic blue bee had not been spotted in years and was thought by experts to be extinct.

The bee is an essential part of our circle of life. Despite the fact that most people run from bees in anticipation of being stung, they are responsible for the pollination and germination of thousands of flowers, plants and crops that make up our food chain.

Bee culture and existence is millions of years old, and it is always exciting when a species that has once been considered lost re-emerges anew. Take the blue bee, for instance –– it has recently emerged in Florida, and it has bee fans and scientists very excited at the implications.

Also known as the Calamintha bee, its bright blue color and distinctive way of bobbing its head back and forth while pollinating make it a truly unique and special addition to nature's finest, as The University of Florida details in a press release. First discovered in Lake Wales Ridge, Florida, it has scientists and nature enthusiasts alike buzzing with activity.

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The Calamintha bee is such a rarity that scientists were not even aware that it existed. For decades, there had been no recorded sighting of the bee, and the flowers that it feed on are also known to be endangered in certain parts of Florida.

On March 9, postdoctoral student Chase Kimmel went bee-searching with a fellow researcher. They spotted the bee doing its signature bob when attempting to pollinate a flower. The duo carefully captured the bee and, after a complete examination, discovered that it was in fact the Calamintha bee. This blue bee has been recorded in four other locations across 16 square miles within Lake Wales Ridge territory. These findings are promising, pointing to the fact that this unique bee population may be in the process of reproducing.

Scientists agree that the emergence of the rare blue bee is exciting, but they have a long road of exploration, research, and study ahead of them in order to determine what environment they will thrive in.

As it is not on any state or federal species protection list, there are challenges with getting funding that will be critical for continuing to study the bee.

With critical bee populations continuing to die off every year, the emergence of the Calamintha bee is a significant discovery that will impact the environment, as well as the entire animal kingdom. What do you think about this awesome discovery? Let us know and pass this along to your loved ones so they, too, can learn about this extraordinary insect.