Beneficial insect - Blue banded bees

Blue banded Bees (Amegilla cingata) are an Australian native bee and common around much of Australia, even in the suburbs.  Blue banded bees are named after the blue bands around their black abdomen. They are not traditional hive builders, but rather the female has a solitary nest sometimes in rocks or in mortar joints. The nests are often grouped together, like a community. They only live for approximately 40 days and the egg to hatching stage cycle takes 7 days.

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At night the male blue banded bees perch together on twigs and branches, holding themselves in place with their strong mandibles. From a distance you may mistake them for wasps, but the five blue stripes signify a male blue banded bee. Female blue banded bees have four stripes, and they are most active in the warmer months.

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