UOW’s Dr James Dorey has led the world’s most comprehensive and up-to-date study of global bee species, materially changing the world’s oversight on its vital pollinators. Photo: Michael Gray.
A landmark study led by a University of Wollongong (UOW) academic has hinted at thousands of hidden bee species, with implications for food security and conservation.
Evolutionary biologist Dr James Dorey collated data from places like GBIF and Discover Life. It’s the first time bee species richness has been estimated at such scales, offering a clearer look at how the vital pollinators are distributed around the planet.
The now-published study raised estimates of bee species worldwide to between 24,705 and 26,164, increasing the currently known number of described species in Discover Life (about 21,000) by up to 5200.
The research team used global datasets, taxonomy, country checklists and scientific records, alongside statistical estimators of species richness to measure the number of bee species at the global, continental and country levels.
The findings highlighted how many bee species remained unclassified or overlooked, revealing urgent gaps in biodiversity knowledge.
Dr Dorey said closing this knowledge gap was crucial for conservation and food security.
“Knowing how many species exist really matters. It shapes how we approach conservation, land management and even big-picture science questions about evolution and ecosystems,” he said.
“Bees are a perfect example. Their diversity underpins healthy environments and resilient agriculture. If we don’t understand how many bee species there are, we’re missing a key part of the puzzle for protecting both nature and farming.”
By putting numbers to the incredible variety of species that underpin ecosystems and global food production, the research underscores the urgent need to protect biodiversity in the face of environmental change.
“Around the world, wild bee conservation, research and taxonomy face challenges including poor data, extinctions, poaching, and political and cultural barriers,” Dr Dorey said.
“These challenges are particularly evident in Africa, Asia, and Central and South America, where high species diversity bumps up against a lack of capacity and funding.
“Even in rich countries like Australia there are issues with how we have described species, and we are likely underestimating the number we have.”
Dr Dorey explained that describing species was the first step in identifying those that were declining or at risk.
As such, some species risked becoming extinct before they were even discovered.
The study, he said, provided a treasure map hinting at where researchers should concentrate their efforts, with high numbers of unknown species believed to be in countries such as China, Brazil and Turkey.
