Bees & Bumblebees

Images of honey bees, solitary bees, bumblebees and New Zealand native bees. Though the European honey bee is the main focus for agriculture in New Zealand both for homey production and crop pollination, New Zealand has over 20 species of native bees of which relatively little is known. Most of our native bees are small and largely black. Most, if not all, are solitary bees. We regularly see about four of these species in our garden, some of whom are tiny only 5 to 6mm long. I often see them in the puha or sow thistle flowers so leave these weeds to grow and flower in our garden to encourage these native bees.