Stingless Bee - Stingless Bees of Australia

Stingless Bees of Australia

Of the 1,600 species of wild bees native to Australia, about 14 species are stingless. These species bear a variety of names, including Australian native honey bees, native bees, sugar-bag bees and sweat bees (because they will land on a sweaty person to drink in dry times/areas). All are small, black in colour, with hairy extended hind legs for carrying nectar and pollen; because of the latter they are sometimes mistaken for bumblebees. The various stingless species look quite similar, with the two most common species, Trigona carbonaria and Austroplebeia australis, displaying the greatest variation, as the latter is smaller and less active. Both of these inhabit the area around Brisbane.

As stingless bees are harmless to humans, they have become an increasingly attractive addition to the suburban backyard. Most meliponine beekeepers do not keep the bees for honey but rather for the pleasure of conserving a native species whose original habitat is declining due to human development. In return, the bees pollinate crops, garden flowers, and bushland during their search for nectar and pollen.

While a number of beekeepers fill a small niche market for bush honey, native meliponines only produce small amounts and the structure of their hives makes the honey difficult to extract. It is only in warm areas of Australia such as Queensland and northern New South Wales that the bees can produce more honey than they need for their own survival. Harvesting honey from a nest in a cooler area could weaken or even kill the nest.