Austroplebeia Australis is a small species of stingless bee that is native to Australia. Also known as Australis or AA. It is one of the common species of stingless bee in Australia and can be found in many different habitats including forests, woodlands, and urban areas.
About Australis
Austroplebeia australis bees are typically small, measuring around 4mm in length. They are black in colour. Like other stingless bee species, they do not have a stinger and are considered harmless to humans. Australis can bite but this is very small and almost painless. Australis are a very quiet and docile bee. A unique feature of Australis is at night time the bees will create a propolis veil over the entrance of the hive.
Distribution and Habitat
These bees form colonies that can range in size from a few hundred to several thousand individuals. The colonies are usually located in hollows or crevices of trees, or man-made structures, such as water meters, bags of potting mix or brick walls. The bees construct their nests out of a mixture of beeswax and plant resin, which they use to store honey and pollen, as well as to rear their young. Australis tend use more bees wax inside the hive than propolis. This can be seen in the much lighter, more yellow colour of their wax. The average size of the nest is approximately 5L in volume.
Australis have the largest distribution of all the native bees in Australia. Ranging from mid NSW all the way up the coast of Queensland, into the top on Northern Territory and finishing in the Kimberly of Western Australia.
Austroplebeia Australis can use a man-made hive called an “Mini OATH”, Original Australian Trigona Hive. The Mini OATH is slightly smaller in size than the OATH. The Mini OATH is more suited to the smaller 5L nest volume. Using these hives, we can manage the hive effectively. We can propagate more hives via splitting or budding, turning one hive into two. We can also extract valuable sugarbag honey.
Predators and Defence
The most common natural enemies of Australis are Syrphid Fly, Phorid Fly and Hive Beatle.
Syrphid Fly will lay its eggs in any gaps of a hive. The eggs will hatch and try to gain access to the hive via the cracks or gaps. This is why we need to ensure that any gaps in a hive are covered.
Phorid Fly will attack a hive via speed through the entrance. Phorid Fly is smaller and faster than stingless bees. If the hive has limited guard bees or no protective entrance tube Phorid fly can speed past any protections.
Other predators include Bembix Wasps, Assassin Bugs, Spider and Geckos but these and only minor and can only kill one or two bees at a time.
Austroplebeia Australis will defend a hive using a long entrance tube filled with guard bees to keep any enemies out. Entry and exit holes are kept to a minimum, often just one and are small in size, 8 – 12mm in size. If predators do make it inside the hive, Australis can dab the invader with wax until it becomes entombed as a last resort. Defence or fighting swarms can occur when a bee from another unknown nest tries to enter a hive. The defending hive will send thousands of works out in a show of force. The result can be hundreds of dead bees.
Pollination
Austroplebeia Australis bees are important pollinators of various plant species, including fruit trees, vegetables, and native flora.
Why Have Stingless Bees?
Like many other bee species, Austroplebeia australis bees are facing threats from habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change. Efforts are underway to protect and conserve these important pollinators, by promoting the use of native plants in gardens and urban areas, and by providing artificial Mini OATH nesting sites for the bees to thrive. Additionally, the honey produced by Austroplebeia australis bees is highly valued for its unique flavor and medicinal properties and is becoming increasingly popular.
Looking to buy Austroplebeia Australis Native Bees contact us on 07 3206 0552 or info@abeec.com.au