Native bees as pollinators (Aust. honeyeater threat)

John Leonard suggests we may already have native bees that have a similar
function to the exotic bumblebee.

I didn't see the ABC Catalyst program last night but the following link
talks about this very issue and argues we could use out native bee fauna
for hoticultural work rather than import exotics.

Blue-banded Bees: potential pollinators of glasshouse tomatoes - 
http://www.zeta.org.au/~anbrc/abol-002.html

and, some superb images of Blue-banded Bees from Queensland -
http://www.geocities.com/brisbane_wasps/BlueBandedBees.htm

Martin O'Brien
Department of Sustainability and Environment
4/250 Victoria Pde. (PO Box 500), East Melbourne  3002


Tel: 9412 4567
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