Bees get a lot of good press.
They pollinate our crops and in some cases, make delicious honey.
But bees around the world face serious threats, and the public can help protect them.
Of more than 20,400 known bee species in the world, about1,650are native to Australia.
But not all bees found in Australia are native.
We need the publics help to identify the bees in Australian backyards.
Theres a good chance some are not native but are unwanted exotic species.
Identifying new intruders before they become established will help protect our native species.
The European honey bee (Apis mellifera) fuels a valuable honey industry and contributes to agricultural pollination.
Other introduced species are far less welcome.
Tobias Smith
Exotic bees in Australia
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It is now well-established throughout the country, with profitable industries built around managed populations.
Other invasive species in Australia are less well known (or loved).
This bumblebee has causedmajor harm to native bees in South America, competing for resources and spreading disease.
New Asian honey bee incursions at Australian ports occur almost annually,most recently in Townsvilleand Melbourne.
But swift biosecurity responses have so far stopped them becoming established.
Why should we care?
Most resources go to monitoring invasive species with a more dramatic and understood effect on agriculture and the environment.
Bees sneak under the radar but were still curious.
Take the African carder bee (Pseudoanthidium repetitum), which arrived in Australia in the early 2000s.
Thanks to citizen scientists, we know they arespreading rapidly.
In 2014, they were the third most common bee species found in a survey ofSydney community gardens.
How long have they been there, and how many others are there?
The European bumblebee was recently sighted on Queenslands Sunshine Coast, prompting a biosecurity investigation.
They are considered one of themost significant emerging threatsto global biodiversity.
You dont have to be totally sure what kind of bee youve spotted.
Just snap some pictures and upload them to a citizen scientist app like iNaturalist with the date and location.
Jean andFred/Flickr, CC BY
Will you help us keep track?
You dont need to be sure exactly what species youve seen.
you might also participate in events such as the twice-yearlyWild Pollinator Countor localBioblitzes.
Plus its a great excuse to get outdoors and learn more about the insect life in your area.
