AUSSIE BEE EMAIL UPDATE
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Number 44 / November 2023
Topics in this Issue:
1. AUSTRALIAN POLLINATOR WEEK — BEE INVOLVED!
2. STUNNING 2024 AUSTRALIAN NATIVE BEE CALENDAR — OUT NOW
3. MAJOR NEW RESEARCH STARTING ON STINGLESS BEES
4. VARROA MITES AND NATIVE BEES UPDATE
5. FABULOUS NATIVE BEE PHOTO WINS PRESTIGIOUS AWARD
1. AUSTRALIAN POLLINATOR WEEK — BEE INVOLVED!
Nine exciting days of native bee events, citizen science opportunities, and challenges begin next Saturday 11 November 2023! Back for its ninth year, Australian Pollinator Week celebrates our unique insect pollinators and brings together community members of all ages, to learn, laugh and contribute.
From 11 to 19 November, you can attend workshops and online events Australia-wide, host a Pollinator Picnic, and take part in the annual Australian Pollinator Count. You might even discover a new species in your backyard!
Learn how to:
— attract native bees,
— make Bee Hotels,
— photograph or paint pictures of bees,
— keep native stingless bees,
— and much more!
For full details, and to explore a wide range of pollinator resources, visit: australianpollinatorweek.org.au
2. STUNNING 2024 AUSTRALIAN NATIVE BEE CALENDAR — OUT NOW
Showcasing some of Australia’s most beautiful native bee species, Megan Halcroft's 2024 Australian Native Bee Calendar is now on sale for $25 plus P&H. It features spectacular close-up photos, fascinating fact files on native bee behaviour, and tips on supporting native bees.
All profits will be donated to the Wheen Bee Foundation's 'Discover Bees' project.
To secure your copy, while stocks last, visit: etsy.com/au/listing/1545992612/australian-native-bees-calendar-for-2024
3. MAJOR NEW RESEARCH STARTING ON STINGLESS BEES
A new six-year research project on our native stingless bees has just been funded through the Hort Innovation Pollination Fund. Led by Western Sydney University in collaboration with Griffith University, beekeepers and crop growers, the research will further explore crop pollination with Australian stingless bees.
This project, 'Supporting the health and expansion of the Australian stingless bee industry', will focus on the health of stingless bees, new techniques, and improved practices.
Researchers, James Cook and Robert Spooner-Hart, say the teams will be keen to collaborate with beekeepers and growers in this work, and will be announcing opportunities to get involved through the Australian Native Bee Association newsletter and website: anba.org.au
4. VARROA MITES AND NATIVE BEES UPDATE
When Varroa Mites, devastating parasites of European honeybees, were discovered in Newcastle in June 2022, the NSW DPI began urgent eradication work. Unfortunately, their use of Fipronil, which is highly toxic to all bees, posed a significant danger to native stingless bees in the affected areas.
This Fipronil baiting work ended on 19 September 2023, when it was decided that eradication of the Varroa Mites was no longer feasible. However, active Fipronil residues may still remain in the baited areas for some time to come.
For full details on the current situation and how this may continue to affect your native stingless bees, visit: anba.org.au/varroa-response
5. FABULOUS NATIVE BEE PHOTO WINS PRESTIGIOUS AWARD
Dan Jones’ superb photo of a Dawson’s Burrowing Bee on a native bluebell in WA has won the Macro Category in the 2023 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year Competition.
Dan says native bees are one of his favourite macro photography subjects, with their beautiful colours and interesting behaviours. However, they really test him out, especially as they fly off 90% of the time when he approaches with his camera!
To see Dan’s prize-winning image, entitled ’Nectar of Life’, and read his fascinating description of how he managed to take the photo, visit: australiangeographic.com.au/photography/nature-photographer...
6. UPCOMING NATIVE BEE EVENTS
You can now learn about native bees at a wide range of workshops and events around Australia. In addition to the Australian Pollinator Week events described in Item 1 (above), take a look at the events on the following webpages.
The Australian Native Bee Association events page: anba.org.au/events
'Sugarbag Bees' workshops by Tim Heard and colleagues: sugarbag.net/events
Stingless bee workshops by Russell Zabel: zabel.com.au/australian-stingless-native-bees/....
'A Green Soul Native Bees' workshops by Ian Driver: agreensoul.com.au/events
Bye for now.
Anne Dollin
Aussie Bee
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PO Box 74, North Richmond NSW 2754, Australia
Promoting the Preservation and Enjoyment of Australian Native Bees