Reddit | lemon_cake_or_death

Blue-Banded Bees Have Distinctive Metallic Butts And Are Native To Australia

We spend a lot of time celebrating the humble bee and its contribution to the environment, but even though we're always hearing about conservation efforts, how much do we actually know about the bee world? Individually, I mean.

I'm willing to bet that most people assume all bees are the same. Black and yellow stripes, pollen, honey, stingers, and hives. Many people may know there are different species, with some different habits, but bees are bees, right?

Not really. In fact, there are more than 16,000 known bee species in the world!

Instagram | @hayath_dyno

And while many of them fall into a general look, there's still a wide variation in colors, habits, and behavior among them.

Yes, I said colors. They aren't all just yellow and black.

The blue-banded bee is a species native to Australia and when you see one, it's clear where they got their name.

Instagram | @onephatasian

Their lower abdomens are striped with black and bright, metallic blue fur. It's so shiny that the blue stripes sometimes look white in direct light.

These bees even pollinate in a special way.

Instagram | @markbutton_photography

They use a process called "buzz pollination." Instead of going down to the pollen itself, these bees rest at the flower's opening and vibrate. The vibration shakes all the pollen loose so that it can waft over and collect in the bee's fur.

This process is particularly good for deeper flowers that chubby, non-vibrating bees may struggle to get down into.

Instagram | @nickie_railton

Blue-banded bees are also solitary bees, meaning that they don't live in hives, though females may build their burrows near each other in patches of clay soil. So they have a little neighborhood of bee houses. Adorable!

These bees don't produce honey or beeswax, but are essential for pollination of Australia's plant life.

h/t: Aussie Bee

Filed Under: