Bob the Bee Man

This web page is for anyone who may come into contact with the stingless native bees of Australia . I see this group of people primarily as tree loppers and vegetation management workers, firewood cutters, earthmoving contactors, timber getters of all types and the farming community.

I aim to rescue and relocate as many colonies of these fascinating little bees, in hives which are under threat, as I can. If the tree has to come down, then I will come to get the bees (not feral honey bees). If time or distance prevent that, I will pass on what information I can and perhaps contacts who may be able to help achieve a safe outcome for the bees. If a little information is all that is needed for the bee colony to be safely relocated without my attention, I am happy to provide that by phone.

My activities include boxing some colonies to investigate what is needed for the domestication of these bees, for the production of honey, and researching optimum box designs. We have little information

on conditions that exist within the live hive, right down to the temperatures that they need and how they ‘ventilate’ their nests. I am seeking to increase both the number of colonies that I have to get a range of genetic material from a wide area, and to get as many species as I can.

In south-east Queensland , the most common variety is Trigona carbonaria, with Austroplebia australis increasing towards the west, and Trigona hockingsi to the north. These all overlap and share territory, often only able to be identified by the internal structures in the hive. There are a number of others, and with all of them, we do not understand their full potential.I am prepared to donate log hives to schools if I have suitable hives available, to help educate children in the ways of these little bees. Schools need to have an appropriate site. I will help schools with boxing colonies or by supplying display hives when possible.

All are approximately 4 – 5mm long, nearly black in colour, are unable to sting and seek hollows in trees as nest sites. Though they cannot sting they respond quickly to disturbance by biting any areas of tender skin, and getting into ears and up the nose of the offender literally. Generally their displeasure is obvious, and they have learnt that the vibrations of a chainsaw are to be defended against and target the operator quite vigorously. This is a sign of a healthy colony as well.

They have adapted to other hive sites and have been recorded in a wide range of sometimes unlikely cavities. Concrete block walls provide an apparently unending expansion ability. Water meter pits are popular. Telstra boxes and pits, discarded tyres, incinerators, polystyrene boxes, wall cavities, even gravestones are a few examples. A few have managed the seemingly inhospitable cavity inside exposed steel pipes in structures.

What am I asking of you?

If you find a colony and don’t want to phone me?

If you don’t want to call me but would like to try to save the hive, the most important thing is to put secure caps on each end and repair any cuts into the nest hollow, make sure the hive is placed the same way up as it was in the tree, orientation is important. Make sure what was up, stays up.

Using a non-toxic sealant like No More Gaps, nail or screw pieces of timber/ply/metal over the exposed ends of the log to seal the hollow from ants and other insect pests. Do this as soon as possible after cutting the hive from the tree. If possible mount the log so that ants don’t have free access until the bees have re-established defences. A heavy log section can be supported by 3 star pickets for example. Lighter logs would take only one or 2 depending on shape and weight. Apply a little grease around the star pickets below the log to deter ants. As a minimum put the log up on a block.

Find a place to locate the hive that is safe from livestock, vehicles, people etc. Morning sun is an advantage but shade in the afternoon even broken shade can help prevent the hive heating up in summer.

Then if you are interested in taking it back to a depot for storage until it can be collected, cover the entrance with some porous material or cloth taped tightly on for transport and remove it in its new location to allow the bees to adapt to the new home.

If you are interested in boxing the hive, contact myself of perhaps the Australian Native Bee Research Centre which has a range of booklets to describe how.

In conclusion!

Having said all this, I must emphasise that I am only an individual with an enthusiastic interest in these little bees. There may be times or situations that I will be unable to get to collect a colony or be unavailable to give advice. I do my best for these little bees, but sometimes I might have to say ‘Sorry, I just can’t manage it at this time”.

I hope that at least I can do a little to further the cause of the Australian stingless bees and encourage people to care for them when they find them.

Helpful Links:

http://www.aussiebee.com.au

http://www.australiannativebees.com