Bees (Hymenoptera, Apiformes)
An introduction to Australian Native Bees can be found here:
https://www.aussiebee.com.au/beesinyourarea.html
The identification of bees from photographs can be difficult as tiny details on the animals have to be seen. Michael Batley, our moderator for bees has begun a trial identification tool for bees. The test groups are Megachilid bees and Hylaeine bees found in the Sydney basin and Blue Mountains.
If you want to try the identification tools, the addresses for the two groups are below:-
Discussion
PeterA
wrote:
9 Mar 2026
Sorry, I pressed the wrong subgenus initially. No A. (Asaropoda) here.
Likely A. asserta but difficult to tell from this image.
Likely A. asserta but difficult to tell from this image.
Amegilla sp. (genus)
PeterA
wrote:
8 Mar 2026
There's a few things going on on this plant!
This bee could well be a male L. (Parasphecodes) subrussatum - it is an alpine bee that has distinct black rear segments on the abdomen. Similar to L. melbournense, but separated geographically.
This bee could well be a male L. (Parasphecodes) subrussatum - it is an alpine bee that has distinct black rear segments on the abdomen. Similar to L. melbournense, but separated geographically.
Lasioglossum (Parasphecodes) sp. (genus & subgenus)
KMcCue
wrote:
7 Mar 2026
That's excellent, thanks Peter. I wasn't quite so sure when I saw the computer image. There were 3 different native bees on that bush, and the pesky bullies, the European honeybees. I didn't get photo of the other native bee.
Megachile (Genus)
Significant sightings
- Xylocopa (Lestis) aerata at Acton, ACT
- Xylocopa (Lestis) aerata at Acton, ACT
- Leioproctus (Andrenopsis) wilsoni at Bruce, ACT
- Xylocopa (Lestis) aerata at Yarralumla, ACT
- Hylaeus (Euprosopoides) perplexus at Murrumbateman, NSW
- Megachile (Rhodomegachile) deanii at Acton, ACT
- Xylocopa (Lestis) aerata at Acton, ACT
- Xylocopa (Lestis) aerata at Theodore, ACT
- Xylocopa (Lestis) aerata at Acton, ACT
- Xylocopa (Lestis) aerata at Gundaroo, NSW
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