Native bee buzz ep16 2019 Gardening Australia

🐝 Native bees are an essential part of Australia's biodiversity, with about 2,000 species in the country.

🐝 Native bees are mainly solitary and do not live in big social colonies like honey bees.

🐝 Native bees collect nectar and pollen, build a nest, lay an egg on it, and then seal off the nest.

🐝 Some native bee species live in small groups and provide care for their offspring, while others, like sugar bag bees, are social like honey bees.

🐝 Installing bee hotels and planting suitable native flowering species can attract and support native bees.

🐝 Many native bees nest in small cavities created by wood-boring beetles, so creating bee hotels with small holes can provide them with suitable nesting sites.

🐝 Native plants like daisies, fan flower, and plants in the melaleuca family are attractive to native bees.

🐝 Research on native bees and their response to urbanization is still limited, and more knowledge is needed to better protect these important pollinators.