Rare Insect Spotted in France for the First Time in 150 Years. Scientists Aren’t Sure Where It’s Been
A rare bumblebee-like insect, Pocota personata, was spotted in the Paris region in 2025, marking its first appearance in France in 150 years. Scientists are investigating whether the species had been locally extinct or simply overlooked, highlighting gaps in biodiversity monitoring.
Why it matters
The discovery underscores the difficulty of tracking biodiversity loss and the importance of data-driven conservation efforts in the face of environmental change.
A close-up image of a rare bumblebee-like insect, pocota personata Credit: Russell Miller/PMC NEED TO KNOW A rare, bumblebee-like insect was spotted in the Paris region in 2025 after reportedly going unseen in France for 150 years
Scientists don't know whether the insect had disappeared from the area or simply escaped notice for more than a century
The sighting highlights how much researchers still don't know about some species, even as they work to track biodiversity loss
A rare insect has been spotted in France for the first time in 150 years, but scientists aren't sure where it's been all this time.
The bumblebee-like insect, known as Pocota personata, was spotted in the Paris region in 2025, marking its first reported sighting in the country in a century and a half, according to AFP, as per Phys.org .
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