Native Stingless Bees for sale Sydney

Native Stingless Bees

Elke breeds and supplies native stingless bees in Sydney as one of the ways she is able to contribute to Australia’s natural food and bio security.

Native bees are also fascinating to observe and a very rewarding addition to your garden, aged care home, school or community garden.

Native Stingless Bees Sydney & Native Bee Hives for Sale (in Coastal Sydney – Springtime only).

Note: We are now booked up for Spring 2018 and we will open up the booking form again in March for deliveries in Spring 2019).

We have a limited number of hand made hives of Native stingless bees for purchase for locating in coastal parts of Sydney.

The native bees are called Tetragonula carbonaria and are endemic to the Sydney Basin (and are also found in coastal areas of NSW and Qld). Elke’s native bees are acclimatised to the Sydney coastal climatic seasons as the bees are bred here in Sydney.

Stingless bees are not suited to the western or elevated areas of the Sydney Basin due to temperature extremes being too great for Tetragonula to survive. Even in more coastal locations in Sydney, the siting of the hive is very important to ensure good temperature regulation.

The bees make a spiral shaped nest for their brood and store their sugarbag honey on the outside.

Native stingless bees

(Tetragonula carbonaria) native stingless bees are endemic to the Sydney Basin (as well as to coastal parts of Qld and NSW). The native hives can be put in your garden, community space, school, child care centre, nursing home or other landscape space (including balconies or verandahs).

Native Bee Workshops:

Click here for a list of our native bee workshops. These are all in Sydney.

Why are native bees important?

Pollination,
To promote ecosystem diversity and balance,
To replace and preserve this social insect species. (Native stingless bees natural habitats are hollows in trees and logs which have largely been removed in urban situations.)
The bees and the products they produce have potential importance in medical applications such as wound treatment (see this intersting research by Karina Hamilton, USC)

Plants which native bees pollinate include macadamias, strawberries, tomatoes, blueberries, mango, watermelon, daisies, and many of the flowering Australian native plants like Westringia, Scaevola, Eucalyptus, Leptospermum, Melaleuca, Angophora and many others native and exotic flowering plants.

Native stingless bees also pollinate edible fruits, herbs and vegetables such including: salvia, parsley, sage, coriander, nasturtium, rocket flowers, tarragon, grape, brassica family plants like kale, basil, palm flowers, banana flowers, water lilies, passion fruit, Camellia sasanqua, nandina, crepe myrtle, crocus and many more.

Australian native flowering trees and plants have developed their flower shape to attract native bees and pollinators. Native bees and the resins they produce are likely to provide as yet untapped medical and health benefits.

What is Included when I buy a native bee hive?

Delivery is included. (we supply within Sydney in coastal locations only and only in springtime – due to Sydney’s season).
A beautifully designed handmade and hand varnished timber hive with native stingless bees (Tetragonula carbonaria) established inside the hive. The outside of the timber hive has 3 to 4 coats of exterior clear varnish.
Included is an information pack on how to correctly locate your hive in your garden.
Included is information on how to look after your native stingless bees and hive.
Note: We have now booked out for the spring 2018 season, we’ll reopen the bookings from March 2019 for spring 2019 deliveries.

The hives are delivered in spring time (September through to the end of November) and Elke takes limited bookings during the year for the upcoming spring. We are now booked for the 2018 season. elke@elkeh.com.au

What do native bees look like?

Tetragonula carbonaria (native stingless bees) are only about 4 mm long and are mostly black with iridescent wings. The tetragonula carbonaria are the only naturally occurring social Australian native stingless bee species found in the Sydney basin.

Click here for a short 20 second videos of the native bees at work flying in and out of their hive.

What steps are involved and what amount of maintenance do native bees require?

Climate regulation and the initial location of your beehive is important in Sydney. The location is to be fixed (not moved once established) as the bees have a very accurate geo-locating sense. The bees need to receive a minimum of 3 hours of direct morning sun all year around. The hive needs afternoon summer shade and direct winter sun in the morning in order to keep a regulated internal temperature (and not melt down). Install the hive off the ground for air flow and to reduce moisture and ants.

Click here for more information on what is involved in keeping native bees . They are mostly low maintenance once established. Keep cobwebs away from the hive entry as well as regulate the hive from extreme temperatures and keep the hive dry where possible. Note: the location you put your bees in is a fixed location (if you move the hive, the bees wont be able find their home).

The Perfect Gift

The hives are delivered in the spring time due to the breeding cycles and climate of Sydney. Our hives have become a unique gift for garden and nature enthusiasts.

Watching your native bees come and go from your hive is wonderfully therapeutic and fascinating.

Owning native bees is also an important contribution you can make to ecosystem security. Contact Elke if you would like further information or would like to order and buy your native hive.
Mobile: 0410 456 404.
Email: elke@www.elkeh.com.au

More about Aussie Bees and Native Stingless Bees in Australia

There are over 1700 different species of native bees in Australia (most of these are solitary bees, only 10 species are social like Tetragonula) and only one type of Tetragonula species is found in the Sydney area – that is Tetragonula carbonaria.

To find out more about native bees, visit Dr Anne Dollin’s ‘Aussie Bee and Australian Native Bee Research‘ website with a wealth of knowledge on the fascinating world of native bees. www.aussiebee.com.au

Our contribution back – Bee Research

We are currently conducting research and scientific analysis of native stingless bee pollen, honey, propolis, resins and floral resource data to find out more about Australia’s unique native social stingless bees. Native bees and the resins they produce are likely to provide as yet untapped medical and health benefits. We hope to be able to report back to you once this research is completed with useful information about your native bees.

Native Stingless Bee Nest.

The photo above shows the inside nest of the native bees, Tetragonula carbonaria. The brood (eggs) are on the left and the honey stores (sugarbag honey) is stored in pots (right of photo). Pollen stores are also seen on the right. For a sense of scale, the Tetragonula bees are about 3 to 4mm long.

It is always exciting for primary school (and high school) students to welcome their native stingless bees into their school kitchen gardens. Sometimes there is a welcoming ceremony! Often the students get an opportunity to research and set up the location of the hive.