Blue
Banded
Bees

Native Australian pollinators

Blue Banded Bees are amongst our most distinctive and best-loved native bees found in most regions of the continent - 14 Australian Amegilla species.

 

Solitary females typically excavate nest tunnels in soil to rear multiple generations per year. Males often form collective night-roosts attached to plant stems.

 

A key Blue Banded Bee foraging habit is the sonication of flowers - “buzz pollination” behaviour is important for the reproduction of  native plants like Hibbertia Guinea flowers and food crops (tomatoes & eggplants) where flowers need to be shaken to release pollen.

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photo credit:  james stuart 2000 - flicker - creative commons public licence