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Every good hotel needs food nearby. Both native and introduced plants play an important role in providing flowers for native bees in lutruwita/Tasmania. Some bees are very selective and will only feed on the native plants that they co-evolved with, so it's always a good idea to add natives plants to your garden. However, many bees are generalists and will visit the daisies in your lawn, potted flowers, your over grown veggie patch and the dandelions along the Midlands Highway. So there's no need to rip out any plants to 'create native bee habitat'. You definitely already have native pollinators in your garden (or your neighbour's garden) - the first step is learning to recognise them.
General planting advice :
Research shows that larger clumps of plants attract more native bees - when a bee finds a favourite flower, there are many more nearby.
A long flowering 'window' is important - a mixture of plants so that your garden has flowers from early spring to late autumn. Ivy is popular with bees because it flowers through late autumn.
Most pesticides for insects will harm bees: avoid using pesticide on flowers, flowering plants, during the day, or at all.
Ornamentals, Vegetables & Weeds
Ornamentals, Vegetables & Weeds
Exoneura 'reed bee'
on Fleabane daisy
(Aster annuus)
Exoneura 'reed bee'
on Diosma
Exoneura 'reed bee'
on English ivy
(Hedera helix)
Leioproctus 'hairy short-tongued bee'
on English ivy
(Hedra helix)
Lasioglossum males
on Calendula
*male bees do not make nests so snuggle together for safety overnight
Lasioglossum 'burrowing bee'
on Yarrow
(Achillea millefolium)
Lasioglossum 'burrowing bee'
on brassica flowers
Lasioglossum 'burrowing bee'
on Tansy
(Tanacetum vulgare)
Hyleaus 'masked bee'
resting on spiny aloe
Hyleaus 'masked bee'
on Carrot flowers
(Daucus carota)
Hyleaus 'masked bee'
on Carrot flowers
(Daucus carota)
Hyleoides concinna 'wask mimicking bee' on chinese trumpet flower (Campis grandifolia)
Native Flowering Plants
Native Flowering Plants
Flowering trees are important long-lived plant species that will offer abundant flowers. Mature dead wood also provides holes for bees to nest in.
Black peppermint
Tasmanian Bluegum
White gum
Silver Banksia
Leatherwood
Many Shrubs provide flowers, some also provide soft stems for native reed bees to tunnel into ie. Blanket bush (Bedfordia), and Musk daisy bush.
Teatree / paperbark
White kunzea
Needlebush (Hakea)
Beard heath (Leucopogon)
Prickly box (Bursaria) *10/10
Herbs and Ground Covers can often be grown in full sun, where bees like to forage the most.
Everlasting & paper daisies
Pink Common Heath (Epacris)
Native geranium
Native pigface
Creeping teatree & native peas
Exoneura 'reed bee' & Hyleaus 'masked bee'
on Flowering gum
(Eucalyptus)
Hyleaus 'masked bee'
on Flowering gum
(Eucalyptus)
Hyleaus 'masked bee'
on Banksia
Hyleoides 'wasp mimicking bee'
on Banksia
Exoneura 'reed bee'
on Native pea
(Dillwynia)
Leioproctus 'hairy short-tongued bee'
on Flowering gum
(Eucalyptus)
Leioproctus 'hairy short-tongued bee' & Honey bee
on Flowering gum
(Eucalyptus)
Leioproctus launcestonensis
on Prickly box
(Bursaria spinosa)
Exoneura 'reed bee'
on Beard heath
(Leucopogon)
Lasioglossum bee
on Native Pigface
(Disphyma crassifolium)
Lasioglossum 'burrowing bee'
on Paper daisy
(Asteraceae)
Lasioglossum 'burrowing bee'
on Mint bush
(Prostanthera rotundifolia)
Watermarked photos (c) Tristan Skerratt and Field Guide to the Insects of Tasmania.com
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