Fascinating facts about the Australian Stingless Bee
In the scorching Australian summer, a single Sugarbag Bee colony can beat its wings over 200 times per second to fan-cool its hive, keeping the internal temperature a steady 2 degrees Celsius lower than the outside heat.
Dr. Tim Heard's 2015 study found that Sugarbag Bees can remember the location of food sources for up to 2 weeks, comparable to the memory of much larger-brained insects, with some individuals recalling up to 5 different nectar-rich flowers.
Sugarbag Bees collect and store honey in tiny, hexagonal cells within their hives, with a single colony producing around 500 grams of honey per year - about the same amount as 10 European honey bee colonies.
Reaching speeds of up to 15 km/h, Sugarbag Bees can travel over 1.5 km in a single foraging trip, a impressive feat considering their tiny size, with some individuals making up to 10 trips per day to gather nectar and pollen.
Australian Aboriginal communities have harvested Sugarbag Bee honey for over 2,000 years, with the bees playing a vital role in pollinating native flora, including the iconic Eucalyptus tree, which is a primary food source for the bees during the winter months.
At a glance
RangeEastern Australia
HabitatAustralian forests
DietNectar and pollen
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