Homalictus bee collects pollen from a tiny portulaca flower. Woodgate, Qld.
Homalictus bee drinks nectar from the base of a flower. Her abdomen is full of pollen she has collected. Woodgate, Qld.
Halictid bee rests near a tiny flower. These bees are about 4mm long. Woodgate, Qld.
Metallic blue Halictid bee collects pollen and nectar from a tiny flower. Woodgate, Qld.
Male Homalictus bee blows bubbles on a lemon myrtle leaf. Kyogle, NSW.
Male Homalictus bee blows bubbles on a lemon myrtle leaf. Kyogle, NSW.
Masked bee (Hylaeus sp.) has part of her front leg missing. This must make it challenging to gather pollen. Kyogle, NSW.
Masked bee (Hylaeus sp.) chews on the stamen of a lemon myrtle flower to gather pollen. Kyogle, NSW.
Masked bee (Hylaeus sp.) without a mask. Kyogle, NSW.
Classic portrait of a roosting male blue banded bee (Amegilla sp.). Kyogle, NSW.
Male blue banded bee (Amegilla sp.) roosts on a grass stem for the night. Kyogle, NSW.
Blue banded bee grooms himself after settling on a grass stem for the night. Kyogle, NSW.
Australian native stingless bee (Tetragonula sp.) collects pollen. Cambroon, Qld.
Carpenter bee (Xylocopa) caught in the act of robbing Ixora flowers for nectar. Fitxroy Island, Qld.
An extreme closeup of a female Great Carpenter Bee (genus Xylocopa) robbing nectar from an Ixora flower. Fitzroy Island, Qld.
Carpenter bee (Xylocopa) forages for nectar on a clump of Ixora flowers. Fitxroy Island, Qld.
Austroplebeia stingless bee cleans herself after inspecting the inside of a gumnut. Mundubbera, Qld.
Austroplebeia stingless bee inspects a gumnut for resin. Mundubbera, Qld.
A small Halictid burrowing bee emerges from the nest entrance where at least three other bees were in residence. The Channon, NSW.
A burrowing Halictid bee sorts out the grass protecting the nest entrance. The small gravel rocks look as if they have been arranged by the bees also. The Channon, NSW.
Tiny native bee Tetragonula carbonaria gathers pollen from a pink flower. Mt Coot-tha, QLD.
Lasioglossum bee pauses on a leaf to redistribute pollen caught in hairs on other parts of its body to the abdomen. Mt Coot-tha, QLD.
Blue-banded Bee (Amegilla cingulata) buzz pollinates a bramble rose. Kyogle, NSW.
Carpenter bee (Xylocopa) applies her abdomen and vibrates it rapidly to induce the release of pollen. Kyogle, NSW.
Carpenter bee (Xylocopa) applies her abdomen and vibrates it rapidly to induce the release of pollen. Kyogle, NSW.
Beautiful metallic green Halictid bee does laps round and round the centre of this bramble rose, occaisionally rolling around like a cat in catnip. Kyogle, NSW.
Bumnut? Toowong, QLD.
Salvia flowers are shaped perfectly to deposit their pollen on the hairy backs of bees that come to collect nectar. Toowong, QLD.
European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) collects nectar from a pink Grevillea. Mt Coot-tha, QLD.
This little native bee (Tetragonula sp.) forages for sap on a section of pine tree that's lost it's bark. You can see the sap on the rear legs where pollen is normally carried. Cambroon, QLD.
Leafcutter bee (Megachile) collects pollen from a cobbler's peg flower. Oxley Creek, QLD.
Tiny metallic bee collects pollen on a thistle flower. She is packing the pollen under her abdomen rather than on her legs.