topic Re: Native bee? in Community Spirit

Native bee?

kennedia_nigricans — Wed, 25 Dec 2013 09:14:56 GMT

I saw a "bee" in our garden. It was very interested in our first time flowering prickly bottle brush (I think they are a bit rare).

It looked like a normal honey bee but was more sturdy, like a maori waarrior is more sturdy than a normal caucasian guy.

Also instead of being brown/yellow it was white/black around the bum and looked like a "heavily built zebra bee".

Does anyone know what it was?

I thought it must be native being so interested in that native shrub but I have never seen one like it before.

Re: Native bee?

imastawka — Wed, 25 Dec 2013 09:20:11 GMT

Anything here?

http://www.aussiebee.com.au/beesinyourarea.html

Re: Native bee?

**meep** — Wed, 25 Dec 2013 09:24:03 GMT

Amegilla cingulata?

Re: Native bee?

kennedia_nigricans — Wed, 25 Dec 2013 09:26:01 GMT

@**meep** wrote:
Amegilla cingulata?

yes that looks just like it!

Re: Native bee?

kennedia_nigricans — Wed, 25 Dec 2013 09:30:28 GMT

I wanted to buit a dry wall to put the bird water on top and i thought that lizards could live in there.

how do i do it so these bees will nest there and not be eaten by lizards or spiders?

Re: Native bee?

**meep** — Wed, 25 Dec 2013 09:40:35 GMT

I have no idea......We have blue- tongue lizards and bees who seem to co-exist happily in the backyard. Maybe just leave them to sort things out...

Re: Native bee?

kennedia_nigricans — Wed, 25 Dec 2013 10:00:41 GMT

hhmmmm they nest in riverbanks....

it's too dry here to simulate that.

maybe if i just add a bit of mortar here and there with some sand/dirt in it? i didn't really mean to built a solid structure.

Re: Native bee?

bright.ton42 — Thu, 26 Dec 2013 08:56:45 GMT

That's really nice that you care about the little critters, so many dont

Re: Native bee?

acacia_pycnantha — Thu, 26 Dec 2013 09:04:57 GMT

I think a good topic for the photo contest might be . . . interesting insects/spiders (critters) in our gardens.

Re: Native bee?

lakeland27 — Thu, 26 Dec 2013 09:32:03 GMT

@kennedia_nigricans wrote:
hhmmmm they nest in riverbanks....

it's too dry here to simulate that.

maybe if i just add a bit of mortar here and there with some sand/dirt in it? i didn't really mean to built a solid structure.

ive had them in the adelaide hills, maybe not the same variety, but the honey was the best i've eaten (i only removed a small part to try)