Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) records rare Himalayan bee Colletes bhutanicus in Arunachal Pradesh

Exam-focused facts from the 13 August 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) recorded the solitary Himalayan bee Colletes bhutanicus for the first time in India.
The bee was found in Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh at elevations between 1,500 and 3,800 metres.
Colletes bhutanicus was previously documented only in Bhutan and China, including China's Xizang region.
The bee was observed visiting 25 species of flowering plants, including mustard, buckwheat, coriander, beans, chilli and eggplant.
The discovery extends the known distribution of the species into India and highlights the need for further biodiversity surveys in remote Himalayan regions.