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:-

Megachilid bees

Hylaeine bees

Bees (Hymenoptera, Apiformes)

Featured sightings

Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta (Blue Banded Bee) at Higgins, ACT - 30 Nov 2024 by AlisonMilton

Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta (Blue Banded Bee) at Holder, ACT - 30 Nov 2024 by Miranda

Lasioglossum (Australictus) peraustrale (Halictid bee) at Yarralumla, ACT - 10 Nov 2022 by Morgane

Lasioglossum (Parasphecodes) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Holt, ACT - 20 Aug 2024 by AlisonMilton

Apis mellifera at Wellington Point, QLD - 11 Apr 2023 by TimL

Amegilla (Asaropoda) bombiformis (Teddy Bear Bee) at Keiraville, NSW - 25 Mar 2024 by PaperbarkNativeBees

Amegilla (Zonamegilla) pulchra (Blue-banded Bee) at Sydney, NSW - 8 Apr 2024 by PaperbarkNativeBees

Bombus terrestris (Buff-tailed bumblebee, Large earth bumblebee) at Tullah, TAS - 13 Feb 2024 by AlisonMilton

Latest sightings

Unidentified Bee (Hymenoptera, Apiformes) at Aranda, ACT by KMcCue

Lasioglossum (Parasphecodes) sp. (genus & subgenus) at Acton, ACT by AlisonMilton

Unidentified Bee (Hymenoptera, Apiformes) at Acton, ACT by AlisonMilton

Exoneura sp. (genus) at Acton, ACT by AlisonMilton

Unidentified Bee (Hymenoptera, Apiformes) at Gungahlin, ACT by AlisonMilton

Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) sp. (genus & subgenus) at Cook, ACT by CathB

Unidentified Bee (Hymenoptera, Apiformes) at Cook, ACT by CathB

Exoneura sp. (genus) (A reed bee) at Cook, ACT by CathB

Unidentified Bee (Hymenoptera, Apiformes) at Mudjimba, QLD by AaronClausen

Apis mellifera at South Durras, NSW by WalterEgo

Unidentified Bee (Hymenoptera, Apiformes) at Jamberoo, NSW by nancyp

Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Kambah, ACT by HelenCross

Pseudoanthidium (Immanthidium) repetitum (African carder bee) at Melba, ACT by kasiaaus

Apis mellifera at Kingston on Murray, SA by AlisonMilton

Amegilla sp. (genus) (Blue Banded Bee) at Googong, NSW by WHall

Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) lanarium (Halictid bee) at Melba, ACT by kasiaaus

Apis mellifera at Wodonga, VIC by KylieWaldon

Unidentified Bee (Hymenoptera, Apiformes) at Wodonga, VIC by KylieWaldon

Megachile serricauda at Page, ACT by DonTaylor

Megachile (Eutricharaea) serricauda (Leafcutter bee, Megachilid bee) at Hall, ACT by Anna123

Lasioglossum (Homalictus) punctatum (A halictid bee) at Cook, ACT by CathB

Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta (Blue Banded Bee) at Googong, NSW by WHall

Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta (Blue Banded Bee) at Strathnairn, ACT by SWishart

Bombus terrestris at Cygnet, TAS by LyndalT

Lipotriches (Austronomia) australica at Moruya, NSW by LisaH

Amegilla sp. (genus) (Blue Banded Bee) at Lyneham, ACT by citycritters

Megachile (Eutricharaea) macularis (Leafcutter bee, Megachilid bee) at Lyneham, ACT by citycritters

Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Bungonia, NSW by AlisonMilton

Megachile (Eutricharaea) serricauda (Leafcutter bee, Megachilid bee) at Page, ACT by DonTaylor

Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) lanarium (Halictid bee) at Dunlop, ACT by kasiaaus

Exoneura sp. (genus) (A reed bee) at Cotter River, ACT by SWishart

Apis mellifera (European honey bee) at Lyneham, ACT by trevorpreston

Lasioglossum (Homalictus) sphecodoides (Furrow Bee) at Lyneham, ACT by trevorpreston

Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Pialligo, ACT by Pirom

Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta (Blue Banded Bee) at Weston, ACT by Kenp12

Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta (Blue Banded Bee) at Downer, ACT by RobertD

Megachile lucidiventris (Resin bee, Megachilid bee) at Belconnen, ACT by Untidy

Lasioglossum (Australictus) peraustrale (Halictid bee) at Cook, ACT by CathB

Amegilla sp. (genus) (Blue Banded Bee) at Belconnen, ACT by JohnGiacon

Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Higgins, ACT by AlisonMilton

Apis mellifera at West Wodonga, VIC by KylieWaldon

Apiformes (informal group) (Unidentified bee) at Cook, ACT by CathB

Amegilla (Notomegilla) chlorocyanea at North Albury, NSW by Darcy

Unidentified Bee (Hymenoptera, Apiformes) at Tarago, NSW by DrDJDavidJ

Apis mellifera at Kandos, NSW by aussiejai

Pseudoanthidium (Immanthidium) repetitum (African carder bee) at Palmerston, ACT by KarenI

Amegilla sp. (genus) (Blue Banded Bee) at Melba, ACT by kasiaaus

Exoneura sp. (genus) (A reed bee) at Kambah, ACT by Hejor1

Lipotriches (Austronomia) phanerura (Halictid Bee) at Watson, ACT by NadiaHJ

Unidentified Bee (Hymenoptera, Apiformes) at Adelaide, SA by Mike

Lasioglossum (Parasphecodes) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Deakin, ACT by LisaH

Leioproctus (Leioproctus) alleynae at Bungendore, NSW by clarehoneydove

Apis mellifera at Bandiana, VIC by KylieWaldon

Megachile (Eutricharaea) serricauda (Leafcutter bee, Megachilid bee) at Jerrabomberra, NSW by SteveBorkowskis

Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Page, ACT by DonTaylor

Amegilla sp. (genus) (Blue Banded Bee) at Hughes, ACT by LisaH

Hylaeus (Macrohylaeus) alcyoneus (Hylaeine colletid bee) at Mount Kembla, NSW by BackyardHabitatProject

Sericogaster fasciata at Springwood, NSW by SapphFire

Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) lanarium (Halictid bee) at Chakola, NSW by AlisonMilton

Megachile ferox (Resin bee) at Higgins, ACT by Jennybach

Hylaeus (Prosopisteron) littleri (Hylaeine colletid bee) at Stream Hill, NSW by PaperbarkNativeBees

Hylaeus (Macrohylaeus) alcyoneus (Hylaeine colletid bee) at Stream Hill, NSW by PaperbarkNativeBees

Unidentified Bee (Hymenoptera, Apiformes) at Bonny Hills, NSW by pls047

Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta (Blue Banded Bee) at Weetangera, ACT by SarahE

Apis mellifera (European honey bee) at Kangaroo Valley, NSW by lbradley

Hylaeinae (subfamily) (Masked bee, Hylaeine bee) at Murrumbateman, NSW by SimoneC

Amphylaeus (Agogenohylaeus) obscuriceps at Murrumbateman, NSW by SimoneC

Apis mellifera (European honey bee) at Pipeclay, NSW by MVM

Unidentified Bee (Hymenoptera, Apiformes) at Mulgrave, VIC by amiessmacro

Hylaeinae (subfamily) at Wodonga, VIC by KylieWaldon

Lasioglossum (Homalictus) sphecodoides (Furrow Bee) at Yarralumla, ACT by TimL

Exoneura sp. (genus) (A reed bee) at Bungendore, NSW by clarehoneydove

Lasioglossum (Parasphecodes) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Googong, NSW by WHall

Leioproctus sp. (genus) (Plaster bee) at Jagungal Wilderness, NSW by NedJohnston

Lipotriches (Austronomia) phanerura (Halictid Bee) at Deakin, ACT by LisaH

Amphylaeus (Agogenohylaeus) obscuriceps at Hughes, ACT by LisaH

Lipotriches (Austronomia) australica at Unanderra, NSW by PaperbarkNativeBees

Amegilla (Zonamegilla) asserta (Blue Banded Bee) at Braidwood, NSW by MatthewFrawley

Megachile ferox at Wodonga, VIC by KylieWaldon

Apis mellifera (European honey bee) at Bungendore, NSW by clarehoneydove

Leioproctus sp. (genus) (Plaster bee) at Jingera, NSW by clarehoneydove

Leioproctus sp. (genus) (Plaster bee) at Borough, NSW by Paul4K

Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) sp. (genus & subgenus) (Halictid bee) at Bungonia, NSW by KorinneM

Lasioglossum sp. (Furrow Bee) at Downer, ACT by RobertD

Thyreus caeruleopunctatus (Chequered cuckoo bee) at Higgins, ACT by Jennybach

Exoneura sp. (genus) (A reed bee) at Glen Allen, NSW by RobG1

Moderators

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Discussion

michael.batley wrote:

Yesterday

Impossible to tell whether it is a wasp or a bee, but the tiny size and club-shaped antennae strongly suggest a wasp.

Apis mellifera

michael.batley wrote:

14 Jan 2025

I am not certain about the species, but he is a L. (Homalictus)

Lasioglossum (Homalictus) punctatum

michael.batley wrote:

14 Jan 2025

I agree it is probably not M. macularis on the basis of my guess at its size.

Megachile (Eutricharaea) serricauda

michael.batley wrote:

14 Jan 2025

Are we sure it is not Pseudoanthidium repetitum?

Megachile (Eutricharaea) macularis

michael.batley wrote:

14 Jan 2025

It is very hard to tell what they are. They look a bit like male Euryglossa, but most species have males with long antennae. I would have suggested E. adelaidae but the antennae of that species are usually orange.

Apiformes (informal group)