Bees are the darlings of the insect world. It is a joy to see these insects hard at work, peacefully buzzing from flower to flower. Many people recognize the worth of bees, as well as that they face multiple threats. But very few know about the diversity and importance of Australian native bee species. There are an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 bee species in Australia, yet we know very little about the vast majority of these and there are many that are yet to be described.
Bees of Australia introduces some of Australia's incredible native bees, many of which, when examined, can be found in your own garden. Open this book wherever you like or read it from cover to cover. The combination of photography and contributions from some of Australia’s leading bee researchers allows anyone to become enthralled by our native bees. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself looking closer at every flower that you pass in search of our wonderful native bees.
Author(s): James Dorey
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Year: 2019
Language: English
Pages: 232
Cover
Copyright
Title
Foreword
Contents
Acknowledgements
Image captions
Introduction
New South Wales
Amegilla (Asaropoda) bombiformis
Megachile ustulata
Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta
Undescribed Leioproctus (Exleycolletes) sp.
Lasioglossum (Parasphecodes) lithuscum
Hylaeus (Macrohylaeus) alcyoneus
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) lanarium
Leioproctus (Exleycolletes) cristatus
Exoneura sp.
Thyreus nitidulus
Why are bees important?
Queensland
Austroplebeia australis
Palaeorhiza (Cnemidorhiza) disrupta
Megachile abdominale
Braunsapis sp.
Hylaeus (Euprosopoides) ruficeps
Euryglossina (Microdontura) mellea
Megachile apicata
Tetragonula carbonaria
Hylaeus (Gnathoprosopis) albonitens
Megachile aurifrons
Nomia (Hoplonomia) rubroviridis
Australian native bees as crop pollinators
Victoria
Homalictus punctatus
Leioproctus (Leioproctus) plumosus
Hylaeus (Gnathoprosopoides) philoleucus
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) veronicae
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) sp.
Amphylaeus (Amphylaeus) morosus
Pachyprosopis (Pachyprosopis) haematostoma
Nomia (Paulynomia) aurantifer
Euryglossina (Euryglossina) hypochroma
Apis mellifera
Threats to our bees
Western Australia
Amegilla (Notomegilla) chlorocyanea
Hylaeus (Euprosopis) husela
Homalictus dampieri
Xylocopa (Koptortosoma) parvula
Callohesma flavopicta
Austroplebeia essingtoni
Exoneura sp.
Hylaeus (Euprosopoides) obtusatus
Thyreus waroonensis
Social behaviour of bees
South Australia
Brachyhesma houstoni
Homalictus urbanus
New Exoneura sp.
Hylaeus (Euprosopis) honestus
Lasioglossum (Callalictus) callomelittinum
Euryglossa adelaidae
Pachyprosopis (Pachyprosopula) kellyi
Brachyhesma sp.
Lipotriches (Austronomia) australica
Exoneura sp.
How to find native bees
Tasmania
Heterohesma clypeata
Hylaeus (Prosopisteron) perhumilis
Paracolletes (Paracolletes) crassipes
Leioproctus (Leioproctus) amabilis
Exoneura (Inquilina) sp.
Megachile (Eutricharaea) maculariformis
Hylaeus (Prosopisteron) quadratus
Bombus terrestris
How to attract native bees to your garden
Northern Territory
Undescribed Amegilla (Asaropoda) sp.
Brachyhesma perlutea
Braunsapis sp.
Hylaeus (Rhodohylaeus) maiellus
Hylaeus (Euprosopis) elegans
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) ochroma
Lipotriches (Austronomia) sp.
Meroglossa torrida
Xanthesma (Xanthesma) flava
Museums
Ctenocolletes smaragdinus
Megachile (Schizomegachile) monstrosa
Xylocopa (Koptortosoma) aruana
Palaeorhiza varicolor
Quasihesma gigantica
Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) hemichalceum
Amegilla (Asaropoda) dawsoni
Xylocopa (Lestis) aeratus
Hyleoides zonalis
The importance of museums
Glossary
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
L
M
N
O
P
R
S
T
V
Appendix of species by family
Further reading
Index
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
V
X
