NATIVE BEES OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA IDENTIFICATION CHART

Metallic Carpenter Bee

Up to 17mm long. Nest in the ower stalks of grass trees.!

Teddy Bear Bee

7-15mm long and build shallow burrows in soft soil.

Reed Bee
Less than 8mm long. Nest in dry twigs e.g blackberries, raspberries and dead fern fronds.

Leaf Cutter Bee

6-15mm long. Uses circular cuts in soft leaves for nesting material. Likes rose leaves (search for neat circular cuts in garden).

Resin Bee
Resin bees come in many colors and sizes. They nest in pre-existing holes or gapes in timber and stonework. They are called resin bees because they use resin in constructing brood cells and to seal up their nest holes

Homalictus Bee
Less then 8mm long. Easy to recognize because of its array of glittering colors. It makes intricate branching nests in the ground.

Blue Banded Bee

Mostly 8-13mm long. Females build nests in shallow burrows in the ground.

Masked Bee
Less then 10mm. Nests in pithy stems or pre-existing holes in wood. Swallow pollen to transport it back to nest.