What's the buzz?

There are more than 20,000 bee species worldwide, as well as a large number of subspecies and races, not all of which have been described by science. Despite this large number, only a fraction of these bees produce and store honey and build long-lasting nests (hives) made of wax. The well-known honeybees belong to the genus Apis and are known collectively as the Apini tribe.

Australia does not have any native Apis honeybees, but it does have more than 1600 species of native bees. This diverse set of flying insects has evolved to exploit, and to work symbiotically with, the continent’s huge diversity of plant species, many of which are prolific producers of pollen and nectar.

The bees that produce most of Australia’s honey are western honeybees (Apis mellifera), also known as commercial or European honeybees. These were first brought to Australia in the 1800s to pollinate crops and supply settlers with honey. Within a few decades these early bees had travelled across most of the country, making themselves at home both in the wild (where they are known as wild, or sometimes even feral) bees, and in artificial hives managed by beekeepers.

Honeybees may be most famous for the many different types honey they serve up (some even with high antimicrobial properties), but they make many other useful products as well. For example, they produce beeswax, which is used for the manufacture of candles and furniture polish and in food and skincare products; propolis, a food product with a range of potential health benefits and anti-microbial properties; and royal jelly, which has an anecdotal reputation as a health-food product.

Bee venom has also been collected for a long time, and has been found to have anti-cancer effects.