By: Michael Fox

I am often asked: “How do I to get native bees to move into my Bee Home?”

People are often thinking of the Native Stingless Bees Tetragonula sp. which, unlike solitary native bees, form colonies and make honey. The colonies can be housed in hives allowing people to purchase a hive to install in their garden.

Solitary native bees make individual nests which are filled with pollen and nectar: not honey, for the bee larvae to feed on when hatched.

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We know from iNaturalist there are Leafcutter and Resin Bees in the Brisbane area. However, getting them to move into your Bee Guardian Home may take time. Therefore, we are researching ways to encourage Borders to move into your bee home.

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Based on advice from Bee Scientist: Kit Prendergast the Stage 2 Trial will use a mix of yellow, blue and white bee homes to test any difference in take-up.

A mix of nesting tubes from Mason Bees UK and Crown Bees USA with removal inners will be tested again: 15 to 16 cm long 7mm diameter.

Removable inners create an opportunity to proactively bring solitary native bees to our urban backyards.

Similar to the Mason Bees UK and Crown Bees USA programs, filled tubes can be collected at a central location and replacement inners returned to prepare for the next season.

Filled tubes will be inspected then some returned and some used to send out to new Bee Guardians to hatch. Working this way we can maintain and build exiting populations while re-establishing solitary native bees in other urban spaces.

Initially Pollinator Link^® gardeners will be invited to join Guardian Bee Home trial.