New “devil-horned” bee species discovered in Australia

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Australian researchers have discovered a new species of native bee and named it Megachile lucifer. The name references the horn-like bumps on its head and was also inspired by the Netflix series, Lucifer.

This bee species, a member of the leafcutter bee family (Megachilidae), was discovered while researchers were surveying wildflowers in Western Australia. Curtin University reports the insect was found between Norseman and Hyden.

Researcher names horned bee after Netflix’s Lucifer

Researcher Kit Prendergast discovered a new species with small horns and named it after a character from the Netflix show Lucifer. “The name just fit perfectly,” she explained.

Prendergast also noted the new species’ females have very small horns, which led to the name ‘lucifer.’ While ‘lucifer’ means ‘light-bringer’ in Latin, it’s also commonly linked to the devil.

According to Prendergast, this discovery is the first new bee of this type to be identified in over two decades. The university’s report didn’t say if the new species could sting, or how dangerous its venom might be to people.

Scientists have already discovered a new species once this year. In September, they found a previously unknown fish living deep in the ocean off the California coast.

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2025-11-11 19:19