Group: Bees, Bzzz, Bees !

Crystal,
Thank you for your wonderful triptych image of the roosting bee. I find it exciting to see elusive behaviour of bees captured, especially as well as you have done. These images of yours convey so much better than words ever can the roosting behaviour of bees. I firmly believe the knowledge we all acquire through our interest in and photography of the micro world, especially bees, is a vital step in caring for our environment.

When it comes to roosting behaviour, in Australia the Blue Banded Bee is best known for this. It is a native bee of this country and nests (to breed) in hollows in sandstone rock. At night the Blue Banded Bee finds a twig or thin blade of grass to roost on, gripping the twig with its jaws. Groups of this bee evidently roost together often on the same twig. I have been photographing this native bee for some years but have not come across any roosting as yet. They and other native bees are frequent visitors to my garden and surrounds but they fly off at dusk to sleep in the woods I think. Sydney has pockets of natural forest dotted amongst the suburbs and is surrounded by National Park forest.

Thanks again, Imogen

An update on this topic. After several years of trying to capture our native Australian Blue Banded Bee "roosting", by clutching onto a twig with its jaws, I observed and photographed this behaviour. Usually these bees visit my garden or surrounds and disappear at dusk to sleep elsewhere. So I was excited to capture a Blue Banded Bee grasping the stem of a Salvia plant in my garden to sleep. The image can be seen in the group contributions. What is amazing is the power in the bee's jaws in suspending its body clear of the twig while sleeping.