Australia is home to more than 1,700 species of native bees. They come in many sizes and colours, ranging from tiny black stingless bees to large carpenter bees and distinctive blue-banded bees.
European honey bees are the species most people recognise, but they are not native to Australia. Native bees also play an important role in pollinating wildflowers, native vegetation and some food crops. Most live alone rather than forming large colonies, and many can be found in Newcastle gardens without causing a problem.
Here are some native bee groups you may encounter around Newcastle and coastal New South Wales.
Stingless Bees
Australian stingless bees are tiny, dark-coloured bees that live in large social colonies. Unlike most native bees, they do not have a functional sting.
They commonly build nests inside hollow trees and other enclosed cavities. Colonies can also live in specially designed native beehives and produce small quantities of tangy honey. Stingless bees occur along coastal eastern Australia, including parts of New South Wales.
Although they cannot sting, they may defend their nest by biting or becoming tangled in hair. In most situations, they can remain safely in place.
Blue-Banded Bees
Blue-banded bees are among Australia’s most recognisable native bees. They usually have a furry brown thorax and bright blue or turquoise bands across a dark abdomen.
These solitary bees typically build shallow burrows in compacted soil, clay banks or soft mortar. Several females may nest near one another, but each female constructs and maintains her own nest.
Blue-banded bees perform buzz pollination. They vibrate flowers to release pollen, making them useful pollinators for plants such as tomatoes, eggplants and some native flowers.
Reed Bees
Reed bees are slender native bees that usually grow to less than one centimetre long. They commonly nest inside dry or broken plant stems, including reeds, lantana and other plants with soft centres.
Some reed bees share their nests and cooperate with guarding or foraging duties. Gardeners can support them by retaining suitable hollow or pithy stems in a quiet section of the garden. The Australian Museum
Carpenter Bees
Carpenter bees are some of Australia’s largest native bees. They create nesting tunnels in soft dead timber rather than feeding on or damaging sound structural wood.
Different carpenter bee species occur in different parts of Australia. Their colours can include metallic green, black or yellow. Local identification should therefore be based on a clear photograph or an expert assessment rather than colour alone.
Avoid removing dead timber that contains an active nest. If the timber presents a safety concern, obtain advice about relocating it without harming the bees.
Leafcutter and Resin Bees
Leafcutter bees cut neat circular or oval pieces from leaves and use them to line their nests. The missing sections may look unusual, but they rarely cause serious damage to healthy plants.
Resin bees collect plant resin to build and seal their nesting chambers. Both groups may use existing holes in timber, hollow stems or artificial bee hotels.
Are Native Bees Dangerous?
Most native bees are not aggressive and will only sting when trapped, handled or threatened. Stingless bees cannot sting, while many solitary native bees are too small to deliver a significant sting.
However, larger native bees can sting if handled. Any insect sting may also trigger an allergic reaction in a susceptible person. Avoid touching unidentified bees or disturbing their nests.
How to Support Native Bees
You can make your garden more suitable for native bees by:
- Growing native plants that flower at different times
- Avoiding unnecessary pesticide use
- Applying treatments outside peak bee activity where appropriate
- Keeping pesticides away from flowering plants
- Providing shallow water with safe landing surfaces
- Retaining selected hollow stems and soft dead timber
- Leaving undisturbed patches of bare soil for ground-nesting bees
Always follow the pesticide label and avoid spraying bees or active nests directly.
What to Do if Bees Are Nesting in Your Property
Native bees visiting garden flowers usually do not need treatment. However, professional advice may be helpful when bees are entering a wall, nesting in an unsafe location or creating a risk for someone with a known allergy.
Do not block the entrance to an active nest. Bees trapped inside a wall or cavity may move further into the building, while returning bees may gather around the sealed entrance.
Start by confirming whether the insects are native bees, European honey bees or wasps. Read our guide to bee removal in Newcastle for more information. You can also learn about the most common pests in Newcastle and ways to keep your home pest-free during summer.
If a nest is located in a hazardous or inaccessible area, contact Newcastle Pest Exterminators for identification advice. Where relocation is appropriate, the nest should be handled by a suitably experienced bee-removal provider or native beekeeper.
