A rare solitary Himalayan bee, Colletes bhutanicus, has been recorded in India for the first time from Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh, scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) said.
The species was documented during a recent survey in Tawang by ZSI scientists Dibyajyoti Ghosh, K A Subramanian and Dhriti Banerjee.
Previously recorded in Bhutan and China, including the Xizang region, the discovery of C. bhutanicus in Arunachal Pradesh provides new information on the distribution and diversity of pollinators in the Himalayan region, officials said.
Researchers recorded the bee at elevations between 1,500 metres and 3,800 metres. It was observed visiting 25 species of flowering plants, including mustard, buckwheat, coriander, beans, chilli and eggplant.
Unlike honeybees, Colletes bees are solitary and do not form large colonies. Individual bees generally construct their nests independently and contribute to pollination by collecting pollen and nectar from flowers.
The finding offers fresh insights into bee diversity in the eastern Himalayas. Earlier taxonomic research had recorded C. bhutanicus in Bhutan and parts of China, with a 2014 study published in Zootaxa listing the species among Colletes bees documented from China. Scientific records from Xizang have also reported the species from several high-altitude locations.
Arunachal Pradesh’s diverse elevations, climate and vegetation make it an important biodiversity region in India. Scientists said the latest discovery underlined the importance of continued biodiversity surveys in the state’s remote mountainous areas, where several species remain poorly documented.
Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein described the discovery in Tawang as a matter of pride for Arunachal Pradesh and said it highlighted the potential importance of native pollinators in supporting mountain agriculture.
