What is the Australian Native Bee Research Centre?

The Australian Native Bee Research Centre is a privately-funded organisation based in the lower Blue Mountains, west of Sydney, NSW. It publishes information booklets, a field guide, a video and other products to distribute information on all native bee species to the Australian public and help ensure the bees' survival in Australia. It also published Aussie Bee bulletin for a five year period.

The Australian Native Bee Research Centre's co-founders, Les Dollin (a skilled bushman) and Dr Anne Dollin (an entomologist) have explored the most remote areas of Australia, locating rare species of native bees and studying their behaviour and nests. They have written a major scientific paper describing the Australian species of stingless social bees in the genus Trigona (Invertebrate Taxonomy 1997, Vol 11: 861-896).

Les and Anne are currently supporting the growth of the new stingless bee industry in Australia by investigating the latest techniques and hive designs then distributing this information to stingless bee keepers. They are also involved in research on blue banded bees and stingless bees and the potential of these bees as greenhouse crop pollinators.

The work of the Australian Native Bee Research Centre was featured in 2000 in a detailed segment on ABC’s Gardening Australia. The Dollins have also been guests on Burke’s Backyard, and on ABC radio’s Science Show and Earthbeat programs.

On Christmas Day 2001 a major bushfire devastated the grounds of the Australian Native Bee Research Centre. Fortunately the main building, which houses the Centre's research collections, microscopes and Aussie Bee stocks, survived the fire but the bee gardens and many precious bee nests were lost. With the wonderful assistance of many Aussie Bee supporters, the bee gardens have now been rebuilt, better than ever! Read the full story in article 5 of Aussie Bee Online.

The publications of the Australian Native Bee Research Centre have been warmly endorsed by a wide variety of specialists in the fields of science, agriculture and the environment.

Sales of the booklets, field guides, videos and other products support the work of the Australian Native Bee Research Centre.