AUSSIE BEE EMAIL UPDATE
News on the Latest Native Bee Articles, Books, Events and Research
Aussie Bee > Final Aussie Bee Email Update
Number 45 / November 2024
Topics in this Issue:
1. OUR FINAL EDITION OF AUSSIE BEE EMAIL UPDATE
2. AUSTRALIAN POLLINATOR WEEK: 9-17 NOVEMBER
3. AUSTRALIAN INSECT OF THE YEAR AWARD
4. AN ABUNDANCE OF NATIVE BEE RESOURCES!
1. OUR FINAL EDITION OF AUSSIE BEE EMAIL UPDATE
Thank you for your interest in Aussie Bee Email Update over the years. However, the time has come for us to send out this final edition of our Update.
Interest in Australian Native Bees has exploded since we sent out our first edition of Aussie Bee Email Update over 20 years ago. Now information on native bees is readily available to all, Australia-wide, through numerous books, websites, and Facebook pages, and through frequent seminars and workshops.
In earlier years, our Email Updates provided an important and valuable way to communicate with Australians interested in native bees. However, in our view, the ever-expanding internet has now superseded email newsletters.
People can now easily find native bee resources through social media and Google searches. For instance, our Aussie Bee website is available 24/7, and well over half a million people visit Aussie Bee website each year to learn about Australian native bees.
We hope you enjoy Australian Pollinator Week 2024, and the many other resources detailed below, and we thank you all for supporting Australian native bees.
2. AUSTRALIAN POLLINATOR WEEK: 9-17 NOVEMBER
Australian Pollinator Week starts this Saturday, 9 November, and Australia will be buzzing with native bee events throughout this special week.
Join a webinar on pollination or on bee photography; observe pollinating bees on a garden tour; make a Bee Hotel; find out how to design a pollinator garden; and so much more. To see events in your area, visit:
australianpollinatorweek.org.au/explore/
Australian Pollinator Count is also being run again from 9 to 17 November. Be a Citizen Scientist and count bees in your garden. Then submit your data to add to Australia's knowledge about our pollinating insects. It is quick and easy, and a great family or community activity. To get started, visit:
australianpollinatorweek.org.au/count/
... and you can also cast your vote in the People's Choice section of the 2024 Pollinator Photography Competition, here:
australianpollinatorweek.org.au/pollinator-photography-competition...
3. AUSTRALIAN INSECT OF THE YEAR AWARD
The ABC, and one of our most distinguished native bee scientists, Dr Ken Walker of Museums Victoria, have launched a quest to discover Australia's favourite insect.
Dr Walker says, "Insects have been affectionately called the little things that run the world."
Will Australians choose, "a super-fast super fly with wings that beat more than 300 times per second, a moth that migrates nearly 1,000 kilometres each spring, or a well-dressed native bee that is a pollinator extraordinaire?"
If you are quick, you should still have time to vote in the online poll. Ends soon! Results will be announced during Australian Pollinator Week.
To place your vote, visit:
abc.net.au/news/2024-10-12/australian-insect-of-the-year...
4. AN ABUNDANCE OF NATIVE BEE RESOURCES!
As this is our final Email Update, we will take the opportunity to review some of the numerous excellent resources now available to learn about Australian native bees:
WORKSHOPS AND SEMINARS
You can now take part in many workshops and seminars, Australia-wide, both in person and online. In addition to the special events for Australian Pollinator Week (see Item 2, above), browse those regularly added to the Australian Native Bee Association website:
australiannativebee.org.au/events
BOOKS
Numerous excellent books on native bees are now available. There are detailed books and eBooks about keeping native bees, identifying native bees, native bee honey, and supporting Australian pollinators; as well as beautifully-illustrated books for children.
To get you started, check out the listings on:
-- aussiebee.com.au/other-good-native-bee-books.html and
-- anba.org.au/category/book-reviews/
POSTERS
The wonderfully-talented Gina Cranson has now published colourful posters showing key native bees from every part of Australia. She also has created beautiful native bee cards, wrapping paper and a native bee memory game for kids. Visit:
etsy.com/au/shop/GinaCransonArtworks?
The well-known native bee specialist, Megan Halcroft, also presents an excellent range of free educational posters about Australian native bees, available in PDF form:
beesbusiness.com.au/article.php
A NATIVE BEE CALENDAR
Megan Halcroft and Lisa Warman have brought out a spectacular, full-colour calendar for 2025, featuring photos and information about our native bees. For details, visit:
facebook.com/groups/beeawareofyournativebees/...
THE AUSTRALIAN NATIVE BEE ASSOCIATION (ANBA)
This rapidly-growing association now has twelve active sub-branches across Australia that run workshops and seminars, and spread the word about native bees at community events. The ANBA provides an informative monthly newsletter and supports research into native bees.
The Association also tackles important legislative issues relating to native bees. For instance, in July 2024, Food Standards Australia New Zealand approved a new standard permitting the sale and use of honey produced by Australian native stingless bees -- thanks to the hard work of the ANBA.
For full details, visit: anba.org.au/
Facebook has become a buzzing resource for native bee information. There are many lively Facebook pages and groups where questions are answered, issues are discussed, and amazing macro photos are displayed.
For instance, visit:
-- facebook.com/groups/beeawareofyournativebees
-- facebook.com/groups/australiannativebeenetwork and
-- The Buzz on Wild Bees -- facebook.com/groups/1041684025880609
YOUTUBE
YouTube now abounds with videos on Australian native bees. Watch tutorials on making hive boxes, splitting hives, harvesting honey, identifying bees, supporting bees, and much more. Visit:
youtube.com/...
WEBSITES
Excellent website resources are also now available for the Australian native bee enthusiast.
Engage with other Citizen Scientists, browse native bee photos, or upload your own observations on the iNaturalist website:
inaturalist.org/...
Tim Heard, a leading native bee specialist with decades of experience, presents excellent information on his Sugarbag website. There are videos, and box design diagrams, and many key native bee issues are explained in detail on his Frequently Asked Questions page. Visit:
sugarbag.net/
Steve Flavel has built an impressive website filled with informative articles on stingless bee keeping, box designs, bee hotels, and much, much more. Visit:
nativebeehives.com/
... and of course, our Aussie Bee website continues to provide comprehensive articles and guides on Australia's stingless bees and our solitary species:
-- find out what bees live in your area,
-- learn how to make a bee hotel or to build a native-bee-friendly garden,
-- investigate our native bee ID guide,
-- explore our galleries of spectacular native bee photos, including many kindly contributed by superb photographers such as Erica Siegel,
-- buy downloadable eBooks about native bees, and
-- browse a huge list of hive sellers.
Visit Aussie Bee website: aussiebee.com.au/
Bye for now and as always, thank you for your interest in Australian native bees.
Anne Dollin
Aussie Bee
Copyright (C) 2024 Australian Native Bee Research Centre. All Rights Reserved.
Australian Native Bee Research Centre / Aussie Bee
PO Box 74, North Richmond NSW 2754, Australia
Promoting the Preservation and Enjoyment of Australian Native Bees
