Global map of bees created in conservation first

Scientists have mapped the distribution of all 20,000 bee species on earth.

The new global map of bees will help in the conservation of the insects we rely on to pollinate our crops, say researchers in Singapore and China .

Bees are facing pressure on their population numbers from habitat loss and the use of pesticides.

Yet little is known about the array of species living on every continent save Antarctica, ranging from tiny stingless bees to bees the size of a human thumb.

Bees provide essential services to our ecosystems and are the major pollinators of many of our staple foods. Yet, until now, we have not had the data to show where on the planet most species are, said Dr Alice Hughes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Yunnan.

"Here we combine millions of records to create the first maps of global bee richness, and understand why we see these patterns," she told BBC News.

"These maps, and our framework, can then form the basis of future work, enabling us to better understand patterns of bee richness and ensure that they are effectively conserved into the future."