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

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Bees (Hymenoptera, Apiformes)

Featured sightings

Latest sightings

Lasioglossum sp. at Acton, ACT by DianneClarke
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) sp. (genus & subgenus) at Acton, ACT by DianneClarke
Exoneura sp. (genus) at Hall, ACT by Anna123
Lasioglossum sp. at Ainslie, ACT by Hejor1
Megachile (Eutricharaea) macularis at Acton, ACT by DianneClarke
Amegilla sp. (genus) (Blue Banded Bee) at Acton, ACT by HelenCross
Thyreus caeruleopunctatus (Chequered cuckoo bee) at Jerrabomberra, NSW by RachaelL
Lipotriches (Austronomia) phanerura (Halictid Bee) at Downer, ACT by RobertD
Megachile ferox (Resin bee) at Acton, ACT by PeterA
Lipotriches (Austronomia) ferricauda (Halictid bee) at Acton, ACT by PeterA
Megachile (Eutricharaea) maculariformis (Gold-tipped leafcutter bee) at Acton, ACT by PeterA
Lasioglossum (Callalictus) callomelittinum (Halictid bee) at Acton, ACT by PeterA
Lasioglossum sp. (genus) at Russell, ACT by Hejor1
Apis mellifera at Yackandandah, VIC by KylieWaldon
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Acton, ACT by TimL
Hylaeus (Prosopisteron) primulipictus (Hylaeine colletid bee) at Acton, ACT by TimL
Apis mellifera (European honey bee) at Lane Cove, NSW by Hejor1
Megachile (Eutricharaea) maculariformis (Gold-tipped leafcutter bee) at Chapman, ACT by CraigW
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Chapman, ACT by CraigW
Megachile (Eutricharaea) maculariformis (Gold-tipped leafcutter bee) at Chapman, ACT by CraigW
Unidentified Bee (Hymenoptera, Apiformes) at Yackandandah, VIC by KylieWaldon
Hylaeus (Gnathoprosopis) euxanthus (Plasterer bee) at Goulburn, NSW by Hejor1
Lasioglossum sp. (Furrow Bee) at Goulburn, NSW by Hejor1
Apis mellifera (European honey bee) at Goulburn, NSW by Hejor1
Thyreus caeruleopunctatus (Chequered cuckoo bee) at Cook, ACT by CathB
Thyreus caeruleopunctatus (Chequered cuckoo bee) at Acton, ACT by Anna123
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Acton, ACT by AlisonMilton
Hylaeus (Hylaeorhiza) nubilosus (A yellow-spotted masked bee) at Weston, ACT by Kenp12
Apis mellifera (European honey bee) at Rendezvous Creek, ACT by JimL
Megachile ferox (Resin bee) at Acton, ACT by AlisonMilton
Megachile (Eutricharaea) serricauda (Leafcutter bee, Megachilid bee) at Aranda, ACT by KMcCue
Lasioglossum (Parasphecodes) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Acton, ACT by AlisonMilton
Leioproctus (Leioproctus) clarki at Acton, ACT by AlisonMilton
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Acton, ACT by AlisonMilton
Leioproctus sp. (genus) (Plaster bee) at Acton, ACT by AlisonMilton
Euryglossa subsericea at Cook, ACT by CathB
Exoneura sp. (genus) (A reed bee) at Cook, ACT by CathB
Unidentified Bee (Hymenoptera, Apiformes) at Mudjimba, QLD by AaronClausen
Apis mellifera at South Durras, NSW by WalterEgo
Lipotriches sp. (genus) (Halictid bee) at Jamberoo, NSW by nancyp
Apis mellifera at Undefined by nancyp
Apis mellifera at Aranda, ACT by KMcCue
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Kambah, ACT by HelenCross
Pseudoanthidium (Immanthidium) repetitum (African carder bee) at Melba, ACT by kasiaaus
Apis mellifera at Kingston on Murray, SA by AlisonMilton
Amegilla sp. (genus) (Blue Banded Bee) at Googong, NSW by WHall
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) lanarium (Halictid bee) at Melba, ACT by kasiaaus
Apis mellifera 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 Wodonga, VIC by KylieWaldon
Megachile serricauda at Page, ACT by DonTaylor
Megachile (Eutricharaea) serricauda (Leafcutter bee, Megachilid bee) at Hall, ACT by Anna123
Lasioglossum (Homalictus) punctatum (A halictid bee) at Cook, ACT by CathB
Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta (Blue Banded Bee) at Googong, NSW by WHall
Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta (Blue Banded Bee) at Strathnairn, ACT by SWishart
Bombus terrestris at Cygnet, TAS by LyndalT
Lipotriches (Austronomia) australica at Moruya, NSW by LisaH
Amegilla sp. (genus) (Blue Banded Bee) at Lyneham, ACT by citycritters
Megachile (Eutricharaea) serricauda (Leafcutter bee, Megachilid bee) at Hall, ACT by Anna123
Megachile (Eutricharaea) macularis (Leafcutter bee, Megachilid bee) at Lyneham, ACT by citycritters
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Bungonia, NSW by AlisonMilton
Megachile (Eutricharaea) serricauda (Leafcutter bee, Megachilid bee) at Page, ACT by DonTaylor
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) lanarium (Halictid bee) at Dunlop, ACT by kasiaaus
Exoneura sp. (genus) (A reed bee) at Cotter River, ACT by SWishart
Apis mellifera (European honey bee) at Lyneham, ACT by trevorpreston
Lasioglossum (Homalictus) sphecodoides (Furrow Bee) at Lyneham, ACT by trevorpreston
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Pialligo, ACT by Pirom
Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta (Blue Banded Bee) at Weston, ACT by Kenp12
Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta (Blue Banded Bee) at Downer, ACT by RobertD
Megachile lucidiventris (Resin bee, Megachilid bee) at Belconnen, ACT by Untidy
Lasioglossum (Australictus) peraustrale (Halictid bee) at Cook, ACT by CathB
Amegilla sp. (genus) (Blue Banded Bee) at Belconnen, ACT by JohnGiacon
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Higgins, ACT by AlisonMilton
Apis mellifera at West Wodonga, VIC by KylieWaldon
Apiformes (informal group) (Unidentified bee) at Cook, ACT by CathB
Lasioglossum (Australictus) peraustrale (Halictid bee) at Cook, ACT by CathB
Amegilla (Notomegilla) chlorocyanea at North Albury, NSW by Darcy
Unidentified Bee (Hymenoptera, Apiformes) at Tarago, NSW by DrDJDavidJ
Apis mellifera at Kandos, NSW by aussiejai
Pseudoanthidium (Immanthidium) repetitum (African carder bee) at Palmerston, ACT by KarenI
Amegilla sp. (genus) (Blue Banded Bee) at Melba, ACT by kasiaaus
Exoneura sp. (genus) (A reed bee) at Kambah, ACT by Hejor1
Lipotriches (Austronomia) phanerura (Halictid Bee) at Watson, ACT by NadiaHJ
Unidentified Bee (Hymenoptera, Apiformes) at Adelaide, SA by Mike
Lasioglossum (Parasphecodes) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Deakin, ACT by LisaH
Leioproctus (Leioproctus) alleynae at Bungendore, NSW by clarehoneydove
Apis mellifera at Bandiana, VIC by KylieWaldon
Megachile (Eutricharaea) serricauda (Leafcutter bee, Megachilid bee) at Jerrabomberra, NSW by SteveBorkowskis
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Page, ACT by DonTaylor
Amegilla sp. (genus) (Blue Banded Bee) at Hughes, ACT by LisaH
Hylaeus (Macrohylaeus) alcyoneus (Hylaeine colletid bee) at Mount Kembla, NSW by BackyardHabitatProject
Sericogaster fasciata at Springwood, NSW by SapphFire
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) lanarium (Halictid bee) at Chakola, NSW by AlisonMilton
Megachile ferox (Resin bee) at Higgins, ACT by Jennybach
Hylaeus (Prosopisteron) littleri (Hylaeine colletid bee) at Stream Hill, NSW by PaperbarkNativeBees
Hylaeus (Macrohylaeus) alcyoneus (Hylaeine colletid bee) 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

Moderators

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Announcements

Discussion

michael.batley wrote:
24 Jan 2025
Well spotted. It is one of the L. flavoviridis species group for which there is presently no key to species. The thing that sets L. phaneura apart is the orange colour of the tegulae covering the bases of the wings. Most other species in the group have brown tegulae.
Lipotriches (Austronomia) phanerura
PeterA wrote:
23 Jan 2025
Amazing pictures!
Hylaeus (Hylaeorhiza) nubilosus
RobertD wrote:
23 Jan 2025
Not unlike Lipotriches (Austronomia) flavoviridis on p.191 of Terry Houston's Guide to Native Bees of Australia
Lipotriches (Austronomia) phanerura
PeterA wrote:
21 Jan 2025
Wasp nest.
Apis mellifera
michael.batley wrote:
21 Jan 2025
Except that the 3rd image is of a male Megachile maculariformis.
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) sp. (genus & subgenus)

Significant sightings

Recent activity

Lasioglossum sp.

Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) sp. (genus & subgenus)

Exoneura sp. (genus)

Exoneura sp. (genus)

Amegilla sp. (genus) at Acton, ACT

Thyreus caeruleopunctatus at Jerrabomberra, NSW

Lasioglossum sp.

Megachile (Eutricharaea) macularis

Lipotriches (Austronomia) phanerura at Downer, ACT

Amegilla sp. (genus) at Acton, ACT

Species Richness Score (SRS)

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1,907,761 sightings of 21,394 species from 13,191 contributors
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