Off the news: New bee species creates buzz on Molokai

Along with many positive things, Hawaii also is known for negatives things, such as being “the endangered species capital of the world” because of a high percentage of endangered and threatened native animal and plant species.

So call it a win when a “new” native species is discovered here. Such was the case recently, when a native bee species with a distinctive all-black face was detected on the southern slopes of Molokai. The newly named Hylaeus paumako bee was detected by Karl Magnacca, a state entomologist who was surveying Makolelau, a watershed area acquired in 2022 for conservation purposes.