Aussie Bee Bulletin
Rare photos and intriguing facts on the secret lives of Australian Native Bees.

Issue 16 (March 2001)

THIS ISSUE'S FEATURED BEE Green and Gold Nomia Bee (recently renamed Lipotriches australica)

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

A CLUSTER OF BEES - THE GREEN AND GOLD NOMIA BEES -- Maureen Maguire discovers tangled clusters of sleeping male bees of the Green and Gold Nomia Bee (Lipotriches australica) species on grass stems in a Sydney suburban park.

ON NATIVE BEE SAFARI THROUGH VICTORIA -- In February 2001 Aussie Bee explored the myriad and colourful native bees of Victoria's seaside heathlands, met hospitable native bee enthusiasts and followed the trail of famous native bee naturalist, Tarlton Rayment.

VICTORIAN NATIVE BEE NESTS BY THE SEA -- The Hylaeus bee nests in Victoria's wildflower heathland with a stunning seaside view.

A VICTORIAN NATIVE BEE PHOTO ALBUM -- Meet some of the beautiful native bees, large and small, that Aussie Bee found in Victoria. Large photographs accompanied by detailed descriptions.

AUSTRALIAN NATIVE BEES - TREASURED IN NATIVE BEE HERITAGE (PART 3) -- Aboriginal people have prized stingless bee honey and resins for thousands of years. Aussie Bee explores the ways these resources were used in food, medicine, toolmaking and art.

NEW AND INGENIOUS HIVE DESIGNS FOR STINGLESS BEES -- Australian beekeepers continue to invent new designs for hives for our stingless bees (Trigona - recently renamed Tetragonula - and Austroplebeia). Read all about John Klumpp's new Insulated Tubing Hive and Tim Heard's new Super Design. Photos of both designs are included.

A FIRST-HAND LOOK AT THE CANADIAN LEAFCUTTER BEE IMPORTATION -- Since 1988 Canadian leafcutter bees (Megachile rotundata) have been studied as possible lucerne crop pollinators for Australia. Aussie Bee recently visited Dr Denis Anderson of CSIRO, Canberra who showed the strict quarantine arrangements and detailed field work involved in this year's trials.

ON NATIVE BEE SAFARI - OVERLAND EXPEDITION FOR AN ELUSIVE DRONE (PART 3) -- Les and Anne Dollin continued to search Cape York for a Trigona sapiens (recently renamed Tetragonula sapiens) drone urgently needed for the publication of a scientific paper. They trekked across mighty rivers and down bewildering mazes of dusty outback tracks, finally arriving in tropical Cooktown. Would success be theirs?

THANKS FOR GIVING THIS NEST A SPORTING CHANCE -- Athol Craig's son, Ross, found a most remarkable Trigona clypearis (recently renamed Tetragonula clypearis) nest - in a tennis racquet! Ross kindly agreed to sacrifice his racquet so that this nest could be preserved.