FAMILY HALICTIDAE - Nomia Bees



Bees in this family are usually black with metallic colours. They are from small to medium in size. They are solitary (each female bee build nest, lays and cares her own eggs) or communal (share nest with other female but care her own eggs) but not social. Females nest in ground, or less often, in rotting wood. Males do not nest but cluster together at night.

Nomia Bees have short pointed tongues and feed on different shallow flowers.


Green and Gold Nomia Bee

Lipotriches australica (Nomia australica), body length 10mm

In summer late afternoon 2004, we found a cluster of bees resting on a tall grass in a bushland near Alexandra Hill. We believed they are the males clustered together on glass stem for the night.

The bees have golden yellow bands on their abdomen. On their head there are the large brown compound eyes, long antenna and golden yellow face.






Found another cluster on May 2010. It was just before sunset in Wishart near the Bulimba Creek.








Pictures were taken on Feb 2011 in Botanic Garden.

Reference:
1. Native Bees of the Sydney region, a field guide - Anne Dollin, Michael Batley, Martyn Robinson & Brian Faulkner, Australian Native Bee Research Centre. P42.
2. Northern Territory Insects, A Comprehensive Guide CD - Graham Brown, 2009.