Leslie Massey
The largest bee species in the world is Wallace's Giant Bee (Megachile pluto), a native Indonesian species of resin bee. It was feared extinct until it was rediscovered in January 2019, having last been sighted in 1981. The female bee is about the length of a human thumb, with a tongue nearly an inch long and a wingspan of over 2.5 inches (6 cm). While Australia has over 1,500 species of native bees, the Giant Honey Bee, which can grow up to 20mm long, is not known to be present in the country. Dawson's Burrowing Bee is one of Australia's largest bee species, with a length of up to 2.3 cm and a wingspan of 4.5 cm.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Wallace's Giant Bee |
| Scientific Name | Megachile Pluto |
| Rediscovered in | January 2019 |
| Location | Indonesia |
| Size | Approximately four times larger than a European honeybee |
| Female Bee Size | 1.5 inches long |
| Tongue Length | 1 inch |
| Wingspan | More than 6 cm (2.5 inches) |
| Habitat | Termite mounds in trees |
| Nest | Created using resin and wood |
| Colour | Black |
| Mandibles | Large |
| Labrum | Large |
| Status | Rare |
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What You'll Learn
Australia's largest bee species
Australia has over 1,500 species of native bees, with some sources claiming there are over 1,700 species. These bees play a crucial role in the pollination of native plants and hold value for Australian agriculture.
One of Australia's largest bee species is Dawson's Burrowing Bee (Amegilla dawsoni). This species is native to Western Australia and grows up to 23 millimetres (0.91 inches) in length and 45 millimetres (1.8 inches) in wingspan. Dawson's Burrowing Bees are long-tongued bees that feed on four genera of plants found in the Western Australian deserts. They are solitary bees, but thousands of females aggregate each year to dig their nests around arid claypans.
Another contender for Australia's largest bee species is the Australian great carpenter bee (Xylocopa spp.). There are two species of great carpenter bees in Australia, and the males of these species are reputed to reach 2.6 cm in length. They are called carpenter bees because they use their powerful mandibles to carve their nests into decaying timber or pithy stems. These bees are widespread in tropical and subtropical regions and can be found in the Northern Territory, Queensland, and parts of New South Wales and Western Australia.
While Australia has many large bee species, the largest bee in the world is Wallace's Giant Bee (Megachile pluto). This bee species is native to Indonesia and was first discovered by naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace in 1858. Females of this species can grow up to 3.9 cm long, with a wingspan of up to 6.3 cm. They use resin and wood to create nests inside active termite mounds.
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The world's biggest bee
The largest bee in the world is Wallace's giant bee (Megachile pluto), a species of resin bee native to Indonesia. It was first discovered by British entomologist Alfred Russel Wallace in the 1800s on the Indonesian island of Bacan. The female bee, which is about the length of a human thumb, has been described as "a large black wasp-like insect with immense jaws like a stag beetle".
Wallace's giant bee was subsequently thought to be extinct, as it was not seen again until 1981 when entomologist Adam Messer rediscovered it on three Indonesian islands. He was able to observe its behaviour, including how it uses its mandibles to gather resin and wood for its nests. Despite this rediscovery, the bee remained elusive and was not seen again for decades.
In January 2019, a team of scientists and conservationists, including natural history photographer Clay Bolt, successfully found and photographed Wallace's giant bee in the forests of Indonesia's North Moluccas islands. The female bee, which is the largest of the species, has been recorded to be at least an inch and a half long, with a tongue nearly an inch long and a wingspan of more than 2.5 inches (6 cm).
Wallace's giant bee is not only remarkable for its size but also for its behaviour. Female bees use resin and wood to create tunnels and cells in existing nests, often in termite mounds, carving out their own living space away from the termites. They use their large mandibles to collect sticky tree resin to line their nests and protect them from invading insects.
The rediscovery of Wallace's giant bee has sparked interest in the need to protect this rare species from potential risks such as insect collectors, habitat loss, and palm oil operations.
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Bee habitats
Australia is home to a diverse range of bee species, with over 1,500 native species, including the stingless bee, the Teddy Bear bee, and the blue-banded bee. These bees play a crucial role in the country's ecosystems and agriculture, providing essential pollination services to native plants and crops. While native bees can be found throughout most of Australia's varied habitats, from tropical rainforests in the far north to snow-capped mountains in the south and hot, dry deserts in the centre, the distribution of certain species varies across the country.
Stingless bees, for example, are more commonly found in the northern and eastern regions of Australia, particularly in Queensland and the Northern Territory, where the tropical climate suits them best. They can also be found in Sydney and coastal areas down to Bega, but the climate is less favourable, and boxed hives need to be carefully managed. These bees are tiny, measuring between 3 and 5 mm in length, and are black in colour. They form colonies in tree hollows and other cavities, and are the only native bees available for sale in Australia.
Teddy Bear Bees, also known as Golden-haired Furrow Bees, are another native Australian species. These bees have a furry golden-brown thorax and a black abdomen, measuring about 10-12 mm in length. They are solitary bees that nest in burrows in the ground or decaying wood and can be found in various habitats, including coastal areas, woodlands, and urban gardens.
Reed Bees are another diverse group of native Australian bees, with over 170 known species. They vary in size, but most are around 5-10 mm long. Like Teddy Bear Bees, they are solitary bees, preferring to nest in hollow plant stems or wood. Reed Bees are commonly found across different habitats, including forests, coastal areas, and suburban gardens. They are generally docile and will only sting if directly provoked.
Native bees in Australia have evolved unique characteristics and behaviours that are adapted to their specific habitats. One important factor influencing their habitat is the availability of food sources. Many native bees rely on specific plants for nectar and pollen and tend to live in areas where these plants are found. Some bees, like blue-banded bees and yellow-faced bees, are generalist foragers, while others, such as leatherwood bees and sugarbag bees, are more specialised in their food sources. The availability of nesting sites is another crucial factor influencing the habitat of Australian native bees.
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Bee conservation
Bees are an essential part of our agriculture, pollinating many fruits, nuts, and vegetables. Their health directly impacts food security. There are about 20,000 known bee species, and they can be found everywhere that flowering plants occur, on every continent except Antarctica. Australia alone has over 1,500 native bee species.
Despite their importance, bees face many threats, including land development, pesticide use, and the prevalence of invasive, non-native, and genetically modified plants, which degrade food and shelter for bees. In addition, the Varroa mite, a parasite that attacks honey bee colonies, poses a significant threat to bee populations.
Another organization, The Bee Conservancy, focuses on community-based education, habitat creation, research, and advocacy in urban and underserved areas. They partner with community groups, schools, foundations, and corporate teams to raise awareness, promote environmental equity, and foster a more inclusive and diverse sustainability movement. They emphasize the importance of creating pollinator-friendly habitats, such as native plant gardens, which provide food, shelter, and nesting sites for bees, enhance biodiversity, and promote sustainable land management practices.
Through the efforts of organizations like the Wheen Bee Foundation and The Bee Conservancy, as well as individual initiatives, it is possible to protect bees and ensure their long-term survival, thereby safeguarding our food security and ecosystem health.
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Bee behaviour
One of Australia's largest bee species is Dawson's Burrowing Bee, which has a length of up to 2.3 cm and a wingspan of 4.5 cm. This species is solitary, but thousands of females aggregate each year to dig their nests around arid claypans. Males are polymorphic, and females can control whether their male offspring are large ('major') or small ('minor') by differential provisioning of the larvae. This results in fascinating mating behaviour, where major males aggressively patrol emergence areas, competing fiercely for females, while minor males (the majority) occupy the perimeters, waiting for females that may escape mating.
Another group of large bees in Australia is the carpenter bees, which have eight species. Carpenter bees are widespread in tropical and subtropical regions and are found in the Northern Territory, Queensland, and parts of New South Wales and Western Australia. They exist in a range of habitats, including urban areas. Female carpenter bees create nests and collect pollen to feed their young. Males are rarely seen, keeping to territories high in the canopy, attracting females by releasing pheromones. Carpenter bees are also unusual in that they employ a technique called 'buzz pollination' or 'sonication' to release pollen from flowers.
The largest bee in the world is Wallace's Giant Bee (Megachile pluto), an Indonesian species of resin bee (a leafcutter bee that uses resin in the construction of its nest). It was first discovered in 1858 and was thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered in 1981. The female bee is about the length of a human thumb, with a tongue nearly an inch long and large mandibles. They build their nests inside the nests of tree-dwelling termites, using resin and wood to create tunnels and cells, carving out their own living space away from the termites.
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Frequently asked questions
The largest bee in the world is Wallace's Giant Bee (Megachile pluto), an Indonesian species of resin bee. It has a wingspan of more than 2.5 inches (6 cm).
Dawson's Burrowing Bee (Amegilla dawsoni) is one of Australia's largest bee species, with a length of up to 2.3 cm and a wingspan of 4.5 cm. However, the Giant Honey Bee, which can grow up to 20 mm long, is considered the largest honey bee in the world but is not known to be present in Australia.
Wallace's Giant Bee is named after British entomologist Alfred Russel Wallace, the co-discoverer of the theory of evolution through natural selection. It was considered lost to science since 1981 until it was rediscovered in Indonesia in 2019. Wallace described the female bee as "a large black wasp-like insect, with immense jaws like a stag-beetle."
