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Teddy Bear Bee - Amegilla cingulata
Family ANTHOPHORIDAE
This page contains pictures and information about Teddy Bear Bees that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.
- Body length 18mm
- Teddy Bear Bee is golden brown in colour with dark brown bands on abdomen. It is close relative of Blue-banded Bees. When flying, the bee looks like a furry golden ball hanging in the air. Both Teddy Bear Bees and Blue-banded Bees fly with the dart-and-hover flight pattern, which is faster and more jerky that the common Honey Bees.
- Pictures were taken near Bulimba Creek in Yimbun Park Oct 2007. Pictures show the bee is visiting the Blue Flax Lily Dianella caerulea.
- 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.
- Teddy Bear Bees are solitary bees, i.e., they build their own nests. However, a few females may build nest very close together, usually in the soil of creek bank. The nest may have a few cells for their young. They make a ball made of pollen and nectar, then lay an eggs on it before closing a cell..
- Reference:
- 1. Native Bees of the Sydney region, a field guide - Anne Dollin, Michael Batley, Martyn Robinson & Brian Faulkner, Australian Native Bee Research Centre. P51.
