[8] The reports of Wallace's giant bee's existence come only from three islands of the North Moluccas in Indonesia: Bacan, Halmahera, and Tidore.

In 2018, two specimens were collected by local sellers in Indonesia, one on Bacan in February and the other on Halmahera in September.

They were subsequently sold on eBay, highlighting the lack of protection that is afforded to the rare species.

[10] In 2019, a single female having established its nest in an arboreal termite colony on the island of Halmahera in Indonesia was found by local naturalist Iswan Maujud as part of a field expedition co-led by Clay Bolt and Eli Wyman.

The bee uses tree resin to build compartments inside the termite nest, which protects its galleries.

Female bees repeatedly leave their nests to forage for resin, frequently gathered from Anisoptera thurifera.