Australian Native Bee Workshop with Dr Kit Prendergast

Workshop includes discovering and learning to observe native Australian bees in an immersive walk with Australian Native bee expert Dr Kit Prendergast.

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Currently Dr Kit Prendergast is undertaking a native Bee survey at Lagoon Creek Environmental Reserve in Caboolture Queensland Australia.

There are currently 1661 described Australian Native bee species but there are hundreds of undescribed species, and so the true diversity is estimated at around 2000 or more. We have 11 known species of eusocial stingless bees which are said to produce medicinal honey with strong anti-microbial qualities, equivalent to or in some cases surpassing that of which is found in manuka honey. The majority of Native bee species are solitary and have a variety of different nesting habits. Some of these Bees have evolved specialised skills and some are specialist pollinators. In Australia some native species can perform a special type of pollination called buzz pollination - which European honey bees cannot. Buzz-pollinators include the blue banded bees (Amegilla species) and the carpenter bees (Xylocopa species). Native Australian Bees are very important pollinators of Edible food crops as well as Native Australian plant species. Their contribution towards our Biodiversity here in Australia is so important for ecosystems to thrive as well as being a source of wonder and amazement.