Error message
Unable to fetch location details at this time.
Blue-banded Bee
Amegilla cingulata
-37.8038, 145.243
Field Notes
Description:
A small robust-looking bee 12mm long. The banding on the abdomen was a pale blue.
Habitat:
Visiting a Hardy Plumbago (Ceratostigma plumbaginoides) bush in our backyard.
Notes:
There are many beautiful close-up shots of this cute bee on Project Noah. I will add better photos when I upgrade my camera.
My spotting here is only to document this bee's presence in our yard and it's frequent visits to this plant every time the blue flowers are out. Also, to hold a place for it in my collection. This bee also visits a rosemary bush and tomato plants.
Going by the pale colour of the banding and the frequent visits to the plant (almost 9 times yesterday), I think that this one is a female. Its legs were laden with pollen.
When I first saw this bee in our backyard about 7 years ago, I thought I was imagining the blue stripes... It's lovely to know that he/she visits here regularly.
A.cingulata is responsible for at least 30% crop production in Australia - amazing !
Comments (2)