A newly discovered rice-sized bee species in Fiji, Hylaeus navai, has seen its population decline by 99% over the past 150 years according to scientists from the University of Wollongong. Published in Ecology and Evolution, their research highlights the threat of "silent extinction" for insects in less studied regions like Pacific Islands. Scientists warn that without further investigation, many species could vanish before they are even known, emphasizing the need for more local research and conservation efforts.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-10,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
In short:
The population of a tiny bee first described in 2024 has declined by 99 per cent in the last 150 years and should be classed as critically endangered, scientists say.
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scientists → describe → years
The Hylaeus navai bee in Fiji is an example of a bee that could have become extinct before being discovered.
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that → become → bee
Scientists want students in the South Pacific to take on more research to better understand what lives in the region.
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what → want → region
A tiny Fijian bee species has only just been discovered by scientists but it is already the precipice of extinction.
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it → discover → extinction
Scientist Tegan Edwards spent a month in Fiji battling humidity, heat and rain while wrangling a 9-metre pole with a net as she searched for a bee smaller than a grain of rice that almost no-one has heard of.
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one → spend → that
Such is the work of trying to save a creature at risk of becoming extinct before its existence is even known.
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existence → try → risk
"It's a pretty common situation, especially with insects," Ms Edwards said.
"
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Edwards → say → insects
It's hard to catalogue them because they're so diverse and it's hard to see them before they go, especially in areas that are more under-studied."
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that → catalogue → areas
The masked bee, Hylaeus navai, was first formally described in 2024.
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bee → describe → 2024
But it is at risk of what ecologists like David Attenborough have called "silent extinction".
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ecologists → call → Attenborough
Researchers believe the species has suffered a 99 per cent population collapse in the last 150 years.
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species → believe → years
Their findings were published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Ecology and Evolution this week.
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findings → publish → journal
Ms Edwards said European insects were extremely well researched, but experts still had a lot to discover about what lived on Australia's neighbours in the Pacific Islands.
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what → say → Islands
That is what led her and fellow University of Wollongong (UOW) colleague James Dorey to Fiji to begin their search.
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what → lead → search
Why the species could become extinct
Dr Dorey, an evolutionary biologist, first found a single Hylaeus navai on a trip to Fiji in 2016, and then "a whole bunch more" on two visits in 2019.
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Dorey → become → 2019
He said that not only was insect was difficult, it was hard to kill it in order to correctly record and describe it.
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it → say → it
Dr Dorey said scientific analysis indicated the bees were critically endangered.
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bees → say → ?
"We see mutations in the bee's genome," he said.
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he → see → genome
"You can look at the frequency of the mutations to say something about when they arose, but also make predictions about how maybe 100 years ago the population was this size and now it's this size, and see how things have changed."
Dr Dorey said the population collapse aligned with colonisation in Fiji, which brought habitat destruction and potential pesticide use.
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which → look → destruction
Along with natural events such as cyclones damaging habitats, he said another potential threat was that the bees were attracted to red flowering plants such as the African tulip, which is poisonous to a variety of bees.
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which → damage → bees
'What we don't know, we can't conserve'
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we → know → What
Bees are responsible for pollinating the plants that form a huge part of human and animal diets.
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that → pollinate → diets
Ms Edwards wants to find and help them before they become extinct — and for people to care, regardless of how tiny they are.
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they → want → them
"Pollinators underpin all of our systems, so we need to look towards conserving our pollinators," she said.
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she → underpin → pollinators
"What we don't know, we can't conserve.
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we → know → What
"So if we don't know they're there, we can't find the threats they're facing and try and help them.
"
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they → know → them
More research into the pollinators that underpin our food and medicine systems is really worthwhile.
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that → underpin → systems
The research team have not revisited Fiji to check on populations of the masked bee since 2024.
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team → revisit → 2024
"It's challenging to monitor because it takes a lot of skill and strength to wield the nets and catch them
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it → challenge → them
," Dr Dorey said.
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Dorey → say → ?
"We also need people on the ground in Fiji to do the work and monitor these insects."
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people → need → insects
The UOW research into the bee has been funded by a federal government grant, which has allowed the scientists to form a partnership with the University of the South Pacific.
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scientists → fund → Pacific
Dr Dorey hopes that partnership will help train Fijian students to research the rare bee year-round.
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partnership → hop → bee
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