Dr Tobias Smith from the School of Biological Sciences is offering a range of native bee workshops for both university students and for the wider community. In these workshops, participants are introduced to native bee taxonomy and taught the techniques involved in identifying different native bee species.
With over 1650 described bee species, the bees of Australia are more diverse than the birds and mammals combined. Through their pollination services, native bees are vital to the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems. Some native bee species also have important roles in crop pollination.
Researchers at the University of Queensland work on a number of different areas related to native bees, including bee ecology and evolution, bee behaviour, pollination of native and crop plants, honey chemistry and native bee outreach.
