The largest native bee in Australia. They are solitary and pollen eaters, the female lays eggs in hollow wood. Black abdomen and yellow thorax with distinctive black spot. A new sighting on the Conservation Area.

Images of a 25 mm solitary Australian native Resin-dauber Bee. They are called resin bees because they collect resins and gums to build partitions between their brood cells. With over one hundred Australian species they are not aggressive and stingless. Solitary native bees drink nectar directly from the flower and are important pollinators.
These leaf cutting or resin bees live solitary lives boring tunnels in rotting wood to make a nest. This excellent image shows pollen attached to the abdomen of the bee rather than on the legs as commonly seen. They are important pollinators for native plants.
Image courtesy of Wildlife Photographer Tony Belton.
The newly published book “Bush Companion Fauna Species of the Clarence Valley and Northern Rivers, New South Wales” is available to purchase direct from the publisher.
This book contains over 310 “full colour plate” fauna species in 250 “perfect bound” pages with both common and scientific names.
Order by email at urimbirra7@gmail.com to reserve your copy.
Price $25 a copy plus postage from Sportsman Creek Press.
There are many types of native Masked Bees. They have a distinctive yellow spot on the thorax. The bee in the image is gathering from a Banksia flower at Sportsman Creek wildlife refuge. They have a body length of 15mm. This species also displays two yellow patches on the top of the head which it uses to “face-mimic” and ward-off competition.