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- This family contains some largest bees in Australia. They make nest in dead
tree branches or underground. They are solitary bees but some species may nest close together in large numbers. Some
species are parasites of other bees' nests. They lay their own eggs in the brood cells of the host bees.
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- Some members in this family, like the Carpenter Bees and the Blue-banded
Bees, are known as buzz pollinators. They use special technique to get the
pollen from flowers known as buzz pollination. They hold the flowers and vibrate with loud buzz sound. The
vibration excited the flower which drop the pollen onto the bees body. The other
insects do not have this technique cannot get the pollen.
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- They have long tongues which allow them to reach the nectar in tubular
flowers. Of course they feed on shallow flowers as well. None of these bees pose a serious threat to us, although the females do possess stings.
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- The
Apidae and Anthophoridae are close relatives and
sometimes they are put in one family under Apidae.
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- Teddy Bear Bee
 - Amegilla bombiformis, body length 18mm
- The bee is golden brown in colour with dark brown bands on abdomen. We saw
this bee a few times, however, they fly fast and only stop on a flower
buzzing for one to two seconds. It is hard to take their pictures. Please
also visit this page for more information.
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- Carpenter Bee
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- Xylocopa aruana, Xylocopini, Body length 25mm
- They are very large and hairy bees, with black abdomen and yellow thorax.
Theirs wings are dark brown in colour. They are solitary, i.e., living on its
own. They feed on pollen. Females make
tunnel and lay eggs in decaying wood, including dry flower sticks of grass-trees Xanthorrhoea.
Please check this page for more information.
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- Blue-banded Bee
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- Amegilla cingulata, body length 15mm,
female Males
- The thorax and head of Blue-banded Bees are covered with golden hairs and
abdomen is banded with pale blue bands on black. This is a solitary bee but
females may build nest together in same location with other
Blue-banded Bees. Their nests built underground. Male do not build
nest. They will cluster for the night hanging from stems or leaves by their
jaws. More information and pictures please click here.
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- Neon Cuckoo Bee
 - Photos thanks to Kylie
Hungerford
- Thyreus nitidulus, body length 15mm
- Above photos shows three Blue-banded Bees and one Cuckoo Bee. The
Neon Cuckoo Bee female does not make its own nest. It lays egg in the nest
of blue-banded bee. Female places an egg in a partially completed brood
cell. After the blue-banded bee seals the brood cell, the cuckoo bee egg
hatches into larvae and feeds on the provisions stored by blue-banded bee.
Please check this page for more
information.
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- Reference:
- 1. Native
Bees of the Sydney region, a field guide - Anne Dollin, Michael Batley,
Martyn Robinson & Brian Faulkner, Australian Native Bee Research Centre.
[ Up ] [ COLLETIDAE ] [ HALICTIDAE ] [ MEGACHILIDAE ] [ ANTHOPHORIDAE ] [ APIDAE ]
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