Getting to know bees and wasps
Bees and wasps are closely related insects, and it can be hard to tell them apart as they zoom around.
Most of us are familiar with the introduced European honey bee and paper wasps, but there are more than 2,000 species of native bees in Australia, and over 12,000 species of wasps!
Surprisingly, many of our native bees and wasps are solitary, so they don’t live in a group with others or have queens or workers. Many solitary native bees make their nests in the ground – the plasterer bee Leioproctus fulvus is known to dig nests over 2 meters deep!
Bees and wasps often visit flowers, as many adults eat nectar. Bees collect pollen and nectar for their young, while wasps find prey for their young like spiders, caterpillars or beetle larvae.
Invasive bees and wasps, like the buff-tailed bumble bee (Bombus terrestris), Asian honey bee and European wasps (Vespula germanica) can change ecosystems and pose a risk to people.
Help us learn more about threatened bees
If you’re visiting Kangaroo Island in South Australia, keep your eyes out for the metallic green carpenter bee (Xylocopa aerata), which is listed as threatened in South Australia. This shiny, large bee can also be found in coastal areas of southern NSW. In Western Australia, the threatened short-tongued bee Leioproctus douglasiellus lives around Perth.
Bees and Wasps Gallery
Blue Banded Bee
Amegilla
Native Wasp
Vespidae
Cuckoo Wasp
Chrysididae
Carpenter bee
Xylocopa
Native bee
Amphylaeus obscuriceps
Join the Bug Hunt for bees and wasps
By taking photos of bees and wasps and uploading them into iNaturalist, you can help grow our knowledge about where they live and what habitat they like. You might even help discover a new species, or help spark action on a pest species.
In iNaturalist, go to projects, search for ‘Bug Hunt Australia’ and join.
Tips for spotting and photographing bees and wasps
Bees and wasps can sometimes be seen on flowers during the warmer times of the year. Calm, sunny days are when you will spot them most. Some can be seen around insect hotels in backyards or botanic gardens. Many male bees roost on leaves and plant stems overnight in the warmer times of the year – look for them in resting in late afternoon or early morning.
When taking photos for iNaturalist, remember:
- Have your GPS location turned on.
- Take lots of photos and zoom in. Be aware many bees and wasps can sting and may cause allergic reactions.
- Avoid disturbing them though – just photograph them as you find them.
- Upload your shots photos directly through the iNaturalist app, or through your computer at www.inaturalist.org. The app AI may suggest a specific species, but if you’re not confident on the species identification (some species can look quite similar), just select the level of identification you are most comfortable with – it could be ‘bee’ or even just ‘ínsect’ if you’re not sure. Experts in the iNaturalist community can then suggest a more specific identification for you.
- Adding a photo or some notes about the type of flower they visited or environment nearby, can help build knowledge about what kind of habitat they like.
Backyard bees and wasps
Blue banded bees, the common name given to several species of striped Amegilla (Zonamegilla) bees, are much loved native bees found in gardens across Australia.
The wasp looking cloudy masked bee (Hylaeus nubilosus) is known to taken is residence in insect hotels. Large yellow headed flower wasp (Scolia verticalis) with shimmering blue wings are stunning backyard visitors.
To find out what bees and wasps are being observed near you, go to www.inaturalist.org/observations and search for ‘bees’ or types of ‘wasps’ in your location.