The painstaking task of cataloguing the world's species

The painstaking task of cataloging the world's species

A bumblebee-like insect that was last seen in France 150 years ago was spotted again in the Paris region in 2025.

The painstaking task of cataloguing the world's species

Had the creature, known by its scientific name Pocota personata, disappeared and returned after all those years? Or did it simply fly around unnoticed this whole time? The mystery illustrates the challenge facing scientists seeking to catalogue the world's biodiversity, as so much of nature remains poorly understood. The gap in scientific data on the state of species could feature prominently at the UN's COP17 biodiversity summit opening Monday …