Insects
Bees (Hymenoptera, Apiformes)

Bees (Hymenoptera, Apiformes)

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An introduction to Australian Native Bees can be found here:

https://www.aussiebee.com.au/beesinyourarea.html

The identification of bees from photographs can be difficult as tiny details on the animals have to be seen. Michael Batley, our moderator for bees has begun a trial identification tool for bees. The test groups are Megachilid bees and Hylaeine bees found in the Sydney basin and Blue Mountains.

If you want to try the identification tools, the addresses for the two groups are below:-

Megachilid bees

Hylaeine bees

Bees (Hymenoptera, Apiformes)

Featured sightings

Latest sightings

Unidentified Bee (Hymenoptera, Apiformes) at Hughes, ACT by LisaH
Lipotriches (Austronomia) phanerura at Mount Kembla, NSW by BackyardHabitatProject
Unidentified Bee (Hymenoptera, Apiformes) at Chakola, NSW by AlisonMilton
Exoneura sp. (genus) at Bungendore, NSW by clarehoneydove
Hylaeus (Prosopisteron) littleri (Hylaeine colletid bee) at Stream Hill, NSW by PaperbarkNativeBees
Hylaeus sp. (genus) at Stream Hill, NSW by PaperbarkNativeBees
Unidentified Bee (Hymenoptera, Apiformes) at Bonny Hills, NSW by pls047
Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta (Blue Banded Bee) at Weetangera, ACT by SarahE
Apis mellifera (European honey bee) at Kangaroo Valley, NSW by lbradley
Apis mellifera at Wodonga, VIC by KylieWaldon
Hylaeinae (subfamily) (Masked bee, Hylaeine bee) at Murrumbateman, NSW by SimoneC
Amphylaeus (Agogenohylaeus) obscuriceps at Murrumbateman, NSW by SimoneC
Apis mellifera at Pipeclay, NSW by MVM
Unidentified Bee (Hymenoptera, Apiformes) at Wodonga, VIC by KylieWaldon
Unidentified Bee (Hymenoptera, Apiformes) at Wodonga, VIC by KylieWaldon
Unidentified Bee (Hymenoptera, Apiformes) at Wodonga, VIC by KylieWaldon
Unidentified Bee (Hymenoptera, Apiformes) at Mulgrave, VIC by amiessmacro
Hylaeinae (subfamily) at Wodonga, VIC by KylieWaldon
Hylaeinae (subfamily) at Wodonga, VIC by KylieWaldon
Hylaeinae (subfamily) at Wodonga, VIC by KylieWaldon
Lasioglossum (Homalictus) sphecodoides (Furrow Bee) at Yarralumla, ACT by TimL
Exoneura sp. (genus) (A reed bee) at Bungendore, NSW by clarehoneydove
Lasioglossum (Parasphecodes) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Googong, NSW by WHall
Leioproctus sp. (genus) (Plaster bee) at Jagungal Wilderness, NSW by NedJohnston
Lipotriches (Austronomia) phanerura (Halictid Bee) at Deakin, ACT by LisaH
Amphylaeus (Agogenohylaeus) obscuriceps at Hughes, ACT by LisaH
Lipotriches (Austronomia) australica at Unanderra, NSW by PaperbarkNativeBees
Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta (Blue Banded Bee) at Braidwood, NSW by MatthewFrawley
Megachile ferox at Wodonga, VIC by KylieWaldon
Unidentified Bee (Hymenoptera, Apiformes) at Wodonga, VIC by KylieWaldon
Apis mellifera (European honey bee) at Bungendore, NSW by clarehoneydove
Leioproctus sp. (genus) (Plaster bee) at Jingera, NSW by clarehoneydove
Leioproctus sp. (genus) (Plaster bee) at Borough, NSW by Paul4K
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Bungonia, NSW by KorinneM
Lasioglossum sp. (Furrow Bee) at Downer, ACT by RobertD
Thyreus caeruleopunctatus (Chequered cuckoo bee) at Higgins, ACT by Jennybach
Exoneura sp. (genus) (A reed bee) at Glen Allen, NSW by RobG1
Unidentified Bee (Hymenoptera, Apiformes) at The Falls, QLD by JimL
Apis mellifera at Wodonga, VIC by KylieWaldon
Leioproctus sp. (genus) at Wodonga, VIC by KylieWaldon
Lasioglossum (Homalictus) sphecodoides (Furrow Bee) at Yarralumla, ACT by TimL
Lasioglossum (Homalictus) sphecodoides (Furrow Bee) at Yarralumla, ACT by TimL
Lasioglossum (Parasphecodes) sp. (genus & subgenus) at Wodonga, VIC by KylieWaldon
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Bungonia, NSW by AlisonMilton
Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta (Blue Banded Bee) at Wanniassa, ACT by JohnBundock
Leioproctus sp. (genus) (Plaster bee) at Batemans Bay, NSW by Hejor1
Apis mellifera (European honey bee) at Batemans Bay, NSW by Hejor1
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Batemans Bay, NSW by Hejor1
Hylaeinae (subfamily) at Batemans Bay, NSW by Hejor1
Amegilla sp. (genus) (Blue Banded Bee) at Booth, ACT by Harrisi
Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta (Blue Banded Bee) at Jerrabomberra, NSW by MarkT
Exoneura sp. (genus) (A reed bee) at Karabar, NSW by Eland
Megachile ferox (Resin bee) at Melba, ACT by kasiaaus
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Jerrabomberra, NSW by DianneClarke
Megachile ferox (Resin bee) at Hackett, ACT by WalterEgo
Hylaeus (Hylaeorhiza) nubilosus at Freshwater Creek, VIC by WendyEM
Lasioglossum (Parasphecodes) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Wanniassa, ACT by LPadg
Apis mellifera (European honey bee) at Freshwater Creek, VIC by WendyEM
Lipotriches (Austronomia) phanerura (Halictid Bee) at Jerrabomberra, NSW by DianneClarke
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Karabar, NSW by DianneClarke
Megachile ferox (Resin bee) at Karabar, NSW by DianneClarke
Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta (Blue Banded Bee) at Higgins, ACT by Jennybach
Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta (Blue Banded Bee) at Mawson, ACT by stofbrew
Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta (Blue Banded Bee) at Waramanga, ACT by LOz
Lasioglossum (Parasphecodes) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Bungendore, NSW by clarehoneydove
Leioproctus (Leioproctus) clarki at Mongarlowe, NSW by LisaH
Amegilla sp. (genus) (Blue Banded Bee) at Macgregor, ACT by Chorus
Apis mellifera (European honey bee) at Gundaroo, NSW by ConBoekel
Lipotriches (Austronomia) moerens at Monga, NSW by MatthewFrawley
Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta at Freshwater Creek, VIC by WendyEM
Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta at Freshwater Creek, VIC by WendyEM
Amegilla sp. (genus) (Blue Banded Bee) at Macarthur, ACT by RodDeb
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) lanarium (Halictid bee) at Mount Clear, ACT by RAllen
Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta (Blue Banded Bee) at Hall, ACT by Anna123
Thyreus caeruleopunctatus (Chequered cuckoo bee) at Gordon, ACT by GG
Lipotriches (Austronomia) ferricauda (Halictid bee) at O'Connor, ACT by trevorpreston
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Jerrabomberra, NSW by DianneClarke
Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta (Blue Banded Bee) at Greenway, ACT by RodDeb
Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta (Blue Banded Bee) at Wallaroo, NSW by Jek
Euhesma nitidifrons (A plasterer bee) at Yarralumla, ACT by TimL
Lasioglossum sp. (Furrow Bee) at Aranda, ACT by KMcCue
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Aranda, ACT by KMcCue
Lasioglossum (Parasphecodes) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Karabar, NSW by DianneClarke
Leioproctus sp. (genus) (Plaster bee) at Karabar, NSW by DianneClarke
Leioproctus (Leioproctus) clarki at Karabar, NSW by DianneClarke
Leioproctus (Leioproctus) irroratus (Yellow-shouldered Bee) at Karabar, NSW by DianneClarke
Hyleoides concinna (Wasp-mimic bee) at Chisholm, ACT by RomanSoroka
Hylaeus (Prosopisteron) littleri (Hylaeine colletid bee) at Chisholm, ACT by RomanSoroka
Hylaeus (Planihylaeus) quadriceps (Hylaeine colletid bee) at Higgins, ACT by MichaelWenke
Apis mellifera (European honey bee) at Nimmitabel, NSW by Hejor1
Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta (Blue Banded Bee) at Isaacs, ACT by Sheridannew
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Ainslie, ACT by Pirom
Amegilla sp. (genus) (Blue Banded Bee) at Lawson, ACT by mroseby
Exoneura sp. (genus) (A reed bee) at Mount Kembla, NSW by BackyardHabitatProject
Tetragonula carbonaria at Mittagong, NSW by Span102
Hylaeus (Hylaeorhiza) nubilosus (A yellow-spotted masked bee) at Bungendore, NSW by clarehoneydove
Lasioglossum (Parasphecodes) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Jerrabomberra, NSW by SteveBorkowskis
Apis mellifera at Yackandandah, VIC by KylieWaldon
Lasioglossum sp. (genus) (Furrow Bee) at Melba, ACT by kasiaaus
Amegilla sp. (genus) (Blue Banded Bee) at Penrose, NSW by Aussiegall

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Discussion

michael.batley wrote:
9 hrs ago
The blue-banded species are quite difficult to tell apart.
Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta
michael.batley wrote:
Yesterday
While there is more than one possibility, something about the look of the thorax suggests Hylaeus rotundiceps to me.
Hylaeinae (subfamily)
michael.batley wrote:
Yesterday
Possibly, but A. nubilosellus is slightly more likely given the size of the yellow spot on the face.
Amphylaeus (Agogenohylaeus) obscuriceps
Paul4K wrote:
29 Dec 2024
Extremely windy day, may have been hanging on for Dear life.
Leioproctus sp. (genus)
michael.batley wrote:
29 Dec 2024
Up there, Leioproctus obscurus would be my first guess.
Leioproctus sp. (genus)

Recent activity

Lipotriches (Austronomia) phanerura

Hylaeus sp. (genus)

Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta at Weetangera, ACT

Hylaeus (Prosopisteron) littleri at Stream Hill, NSW

Apis mellifera at Kangaroo Valley, NSW

Hylaeinae (subfamily) at Murrumbateman, NSW

Amphylaeus (Agogenohylaeus) obscuriceps at Murrumbateman, NSW

Exoneura sp. (genus)

Leioproctus sp. (genus) at Jagungal Wilderness, NSW

Leioproctus sp. (genus) at Jingera, NSW

Species Richness Score (SRS)

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1,901,151 sightings of 21,162 species in 9,360 locations from 13,006 contributors
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