Hello Chas. That would be terrific if that was the answer but sadly I dont think it is..Here in the Southern suburbs of Brisbane we get lots of the native bees dont think I have seen those ones you describe sounds like the blue banded ones though with around 1500 different types it's any wonder.. The ones in our garden are the black stingless bees.

Plenty of the Leafcutter bees here also, they sure love having a go at the rose leaves making those perfect round circles..And in the Spring when the Tropical Nectarine is in flower its alive with the very soft buzz of the native bees they are so small compared to those other bees..

I was hoping the drought may be coming to an end also as the sky is full of the dark clouds of a Tropical Thunderstorm but they just glide on by to drop their load over the Northern Suburbs and we miss out once again, maybe its our turn to get rain next time..MM.

g'day chas,

we ahve a couple of links to native bee sites on our web site it may pay you to visit them they will help with positive i'd.

we do have many native bees but the only one i know is the tiny black stingless variety.

i think the ants are more reliable for getting indicators for what the rain may or may not do, if they are heading for high places with their eggs and young then usually that is an indicator to more rain coming. and that is then indication around here at present.

len

Here is a link that might be useful: len's garden page

I just saw your picture in the gallery. I've seen a few like that here recently for the first time in quite a while.

Just came across something on Colony Collapse Disorder elsewhere on GW. Anybody know if there are signs of it appearing in Australia?

Glad to say the shrubs that are flowering in my front garden are attracting plenty of honey bees. Not so many native bees. It occurred to me that maybe we've had less of those because all the Pattersons Curse was cleared from the nearby hillside to make way for a new housing estate a couple of years ago.

g'day macbirch,

not sure if that is waht is happening around where we are? but honey bees well pretty much any pollinators are very scarce on the ground. on the best days might see a dozen honey bees and some other species.

most days none at all or maybe 1 or 2. on some forums the thinking is this is one of the anticipated problems in relation to GMO genetic manipulation of plants.

len

Here is a link that might be useful: len's garden page