Stingless BeeThe Stingless Bee or Meliponine has become very prolific in the North Queensland area over the years, as a child I don't remember ever seeing these but now they seem to be everywhere. Meliponines have stingers, but they are highly reduced and cannot be used for defense, though these bees exhibit other defensive behaviors and mechanisms. The stingless bee is found in most tropical and sub-tropical parts of the world including North Queensland, Australia. |
Being a tropical bee these bees are active nearly all year round however they are slightly less active during the cooler months. Stingless bees usually nest in tree trunks, tree branches, or rock crevices, but they are also commonly found in wall cavities, behind wall cladding, and in gaps in brick/block work. They have a distinctive nest entry/exit point which looks like a long trumpet coming out of a wall. Other than being a nuisance by leaving unsightly marks on your walls and/or swarming around their entry points in inconvenient locations, they don't really pose a threat to you or your family and pets. |