Native bees are the bees knees of Australian ecosystems
9 September 2019
In August 2019, the PPWCMA’s Regional Agriculture Facilitator, Karen Thomas, delivered three native bee forums across the region with local Landcare networks and groups, local councils, Box Hill Institute and Agribusiness Yarra Valley.
Over 250 participants attended and learned about:
- Bee biology and bee conservation
Kit Prendergast (PhD candidate Curtin University WA).
To view the information from Kit’s presentation and ask her any follow up questions, please join her Bees in the Burbs Facebook group. - Native bees as potential crop pollinators, nesting substrate and habitat needs
Dr Julian Brown (Australian National University)
View Julian’s presentation (PDF – 1.8MB) - The possible impacts of varroa mite on pollination and what we can plant to increase native bees on farms
Dr Katja Hogendoorn (Adelaide University)
View Katja’s presentation (PDF – 2.5MB)
Many thanks to forum participants for their excellent questions. Each Q&A panel sessions ran for close to 45 minutes, showing the level of interest and the knowledge gained from these forums.
The has already been some great ere was a click frenzy when Julian discussed how to re-purpose blackberry canes into suitable nesting substrate (bee hotels) for reed bees (Exoneura). Several farmers have already built their reed bee hotels! If you’ve made your reed bee hotel since the forums, please share it on the PPWCMA Grows Agriculturee Facebook page.
We will keep up to date with Kit, Julian and Katja’s native bee research and invite the speakers back in a few years for follow up events. Follow PPWCMA Grows Agriculture on Facebook for updates.