Rare Himalayan Bee Colletes bhutanicus Recorded for the First Time in India

Key Facts

• Discovery Date: August 12, 2026
• Location: Tawang District, Arunachal Pradesh, India
• Species: Colletes bhutanicus, a rare solitary Himalayan bee
• Altitude Range: 1,500 to 3,800 meters above sea level
• Distribution Expansion: Previously known only from Bhutan and parts of China (including Xizang region)
• Pollination: Observed visiting 25 species of flowering plants across 10 families, including mustard, buckwheat, coriander, beans, chilli, and eggplant
• Discoverers: Scientists from Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), including Dibyajyoti Ghosh, K A Subramanian, and Dhriti Banerjee

Background & Context

Colletes bhutanicus is a solitary bee species in the genus Colletes, commonly known as plasterer bees, because they line their nests with a cellophane-like secretion. Unlike eusocial honeybees, solitary bees like C. bhutanicus do not form colonies, with each female building and provisioning her own nest.

First described from Bhutan in 2003, the bee was subsequently recorded in high-altitude locations of China, notably in Xizang (Tibet). Its detection in India is notable as it extends the known geographic range of this species into the Eastern Himalayas.

The Eastern Himalayas are a biodiversity hotspot known for high species richness and endemism. High-altitude pollinators like C. bhutanicus contribute significantly to the pollination of wild and cultivated plants, supporting mountain ecosystem functioning and agriculture.

Why This Matters for Exams

This discovery is relevant for students and aspirants preparing for competitive exams that cover biodiversity, environment, and ecology sections. Key exam themes include:

• Biodiversity documentation: Understanding new species records enrich knowledge of India's flora and fauna
• Pollination biology: The ecological roles of solitary bees versus social bees
• Himalayan ecosystems: Unique adaptations of species to high-altitude environments and their distribution patterns
• Conservation relevance: Importance of biodiversity surveys in remote areas and the concept of biodiversity hotspots

Points to Remember

• Colletes bhutanicus is a solitary, plasterer bee species first recorded in India in 2026 from Arunachal Pradesh's Tawang district.
• Previously, it was known only from Bhutan and high-altitude regions of China including Xizang.
• It inhabits elevations from 1,500 to 3,800 meters, indicating adaptation to high-altitude Himalayan habitats.
• The species visits a broad range of 25 flowering plant species including agriculturally important crops, signifying its role as a generalist pollinator.
• The discovery was made by ZSI scientists during field surveys between 2019 and 2022.
• Unlike social honeybees, Colletes bees nest individually but contribute significantly to pollination in mountain ecosystems.
• This finding highlights Arunachal Pradesh's rich and relatively undocumented biodiversity, underpinning the need for continued ecological research in the Eastern Himalayas.