Endangered bee rediscovered after 50 years

Scientists from the University of Copenhagen have rediscovered the critically endangered heathland bee in a military area in North Zealand, Denmark, which was last seen in the country in 1973. This discovery, made during the ‘Grazing4Diversity’ project, highlights the presence of the bee that had likely remained unnoticed nearby. The heathland bee, metallic in appearance and easily mistaken for more common species, benefits from grazing activities by cattle and horses that promote biodiversity. This practice has revealed 43% of Denmark’s 296 bee species, including the rare guldsmalbee. The project leader, Lasse Gottlieb, advocates for year-round grazing as a simple, low-maintenance conservation strategy for natural ecosystems. The heathland bee, a ground-nesting species, thrives in dry, sandy regions with rich flora and is suspected to have declined across Europe due to agricultural practices.