A tiny bee native to Southeast Asia has found its way to the remote islands of French Polynesia, more than 9,000 kilometers (5,600 miles) from its original home. How the bee made this incredible journey has long been a mystery to scientists. Recent research has shed some light on this enigma, revealing that the tiny bee dispersed over multiple islands in the Pacific, with two species making it all the way to the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia.

Scientists have identified eight new bee species, belonging to the genus Nesosphecodes, that are found on various remote islands in the Pacific, spanning from the Philippines and Indonesia to French Polynesia. It is theorized that a single ancestral bee may have started the journey from Southeast Asia, arriving on the islands of the Philippines and Indonesia first, as suggested by the discovery of five new bee species in these areas.

Through a process of "island hopping," the bee eventually reached the islands of Fiji and Samoa, where three more new bee species were discovered. From Samoa, the bee dispersed onto the Marquesas Islands of French Polynesia, making it the final destination of this extraordinary journey. The journey of the tiny bee over vast distances and multiple islands is a testament to its remarkable resilience and adaptability.

This discovery challenges traditional notions of dispersal patterns and highlights the importance of remote oceanic islands as stepping stones for species moving over large bodies of water. The study also emphasizes the unique ecological importance of these islands as homes for distinctive bee species and adds to our understanding of how life disperses across the planet.