Australian Native Bees: Attracting and Supporting Your Garden's Best Friends

Australia's Hidden Pollinators

Australia has more than 1,700 native bee species — far more than most gardeners realise. Unlike the European honeybee (an introduced species), native bees have evolved alongside Australian plants and are significantly more efficient pollinators for many native species.

Key Species to Know

Blue-banded bees (Amegilla species) are beautiful metallic blue-banded bees that "buzz pollinate" — vibrating at the exact frequency to release pollen from tomato, capsicum, and eggplant flowers. Their pollination can increase yields by 30–50%. Teddy bear bees are large, fuzzy, golden bees that nest in soft soil banks. Stingless bees (Tetragonula and Austroplebeia species) in tropical and subtropical regions live in colonies and can be kept in purpose-built hives.

Creating Habitat

Most native bees are solitary and nest in the ground, hollow stems, or existing holes in wood. Leave areas of bare or lightly mulched soil for ground-nesting species. Leave hollow plant stems uncut over winter. Install native bee hotels — blocks of untreated timber drilled with holes of varying diameters (3–10mm).