Pollinator heroes of Central Victoria: Resin Bee
Posted on 29 November, 2023 by Ivan
Spring is here which means the bees are buzzing, butterflies are fluttering, beetles are looking for mates and wasps are making nests. There is plenty to see and hear across all habitats in central Victoria if you stop and pay attention to the little things. These wonderful pollinating creatures are the heroes of the bush, grasslands, our gardens and waterways.
The Buzz project: promoting pollinators of central Victoria, is a Connecting Country project funded by the North Central Catchment Management Authority (NCCMA) through the 2022 Victorian Landcare grants, that aims to celebrate and expand community knowledge on the smaller heroes of our local ecosystems, the insect pollinators. As part of this project, we will explore the lives of some of our most loved native pollinators from across the local region through a series of blog posts throughout November.
Dr Mark Hall, local entomologist, has kindly shared his extensive knowledge on some of the local pollinator heroes that are so important to the health of our ecosystems.
Resin Bee (Megachile ferox)
Words by Dr. Mark Hall
One of at least 169 bee species in the family Megachilidae, which include the leaf-cutter and resin bees, Megachile ferox can be found across southern Australia.
It has a very hairy head, body, legs and abdomen that are perfect for pollen-carrying. It also has large mandibles (jaws) for chewing nest holes in wood. The bright red tip on its abdomen may be what you see first though.
Resin Bees get their name because they build their residences out of resin. Photo by John Walter
The Resin Bee is most active during spring and summer, particularly from November to February, visiting a range of important flowering plant species, including Eucalypts, Dillwynia and Bursaria. It nests in woody structures, such as trees and shrubs and can make a home in insect hotels in gardens if they are designed and placed correctly.
With extensive and prolonged habitat clearing occurring through much of central Victoria, this and other wood-nesting species have become less common. However, where woody nests and good floral diversity are available, this species will provide an excellent pollination service.
I have an insect hotel and no one is in residence, could you direct me to a site that covers the best holes to have and where to hang them.
Love your information, Thankyou all so much.
Thanks for reaching our Gayle. Try this resource, it has good details and specifics.
https://www.abc.net.au/gardening/how-to/bee-hotel/9440586