This study presents the first global checklist of island bees, revealing high diversity and endemism, with patterns influenced by island size, isolation, and biome.

bioRxiv · Mar 5, 2026 · PreprintEcology

Sociality and nesting strategy shape the bimodal diversity gradient in bees

Lena Heinrich, Aline C. Martins, Silas Bossert, Alice Catherine Hughes, Michael C. Orr, Katja C. Seltmann, Anshuman Swain, Thaís Vasconcelos

This study investigates how sociality and nesting strategy influence the bimodal latitudinal diversity gradient in bees, finding that social and above-ground nesting traits are linked to narrow climatic niches and prevalence in tropical regions.

bioRxiv · Oct 3, 2025 · PreprintEvolutionary Biology

Differential prevalence and risk factors for infection with coronaviruses in bats collected during 2020 in Yunnan Province, China

Ruiya Li, Alexander Atuya Tendu, Yakhouba Kane, Victor Omondi, Jiaxu Ying, Lingjing Mao, Shiman Xu, Rong Xu, Xing Chen, Yanhua Chen, Stéphane Descorps‐Declère, Kathrina Mae Bienes, Meriem Fassatoui, Alice Catherine Hughes, Nicolás Berthet, Gary Wong

The paper examines CoV prevalence in bats from Yunnan Province, identifying new SARSr-CoVs and factors influencing their distribution and zoonotic risk.

One Health · Oct 30, 2024Peer-reviewedMicrobiology

Buzz-world: Global patterns and drivers of buzzing bees and poricidal plants

Avery L. Russell, Stephen L. Buchmann, John S. Ascher, Zhiheng Wang, Ricardo Kriebel, Diana D. Jolles, Michael C. Orr, Alice Catherine Hughes

This study examines global patterns and drivers of buzzing bee distribution, finding that poricidal plant richness significantly influences buzzing bee biodiversity.

Current Biology · Jun 25, 2024Peer-reviewedEcology