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Aussie Bee has received many emails and letters over the years from people keeping native Australian stingless bees. Often the stories are about thriving hives but sometimes there are sad tales about hives which have died.
It is always very upsetting to lose a hive. Some causes include:
--- Very cold temperatures and frosts that chill the brood;
--- Cold winds that chill foraging bees and prevent them returning safely to the hive;
--- Prolonged periods of cold weather that cause hives to run out of food;
--- Very hot temperatures that kill bees and cause hives to melt;
--- Keeping species outside of their natural geographic range.
For more information about siting hives and protecting stingless bee hives from extremes of temperature, see the ANBRC booklets, Tips on Stingless Beekeeping, Volumes 1, 2 and 3.
To help avoid the loss of stingless bee hives it is important to choose the correct species and hive designs. In the page below, we have grouped together hive sellers whose species and box designs, in our experience, best suit particular areas of Queensland and New South Wales. Our recommendations for other states are also given below.
DISCLAIMER: The Australian Native Bee Research Centre does not receive commissions from any hive sellers for sales of stingless bees. The Australian Native Bee Research Centre has taken every care to provide accurate and current information in this webpage. However, the publisher or editor will not accept responsibility for injury, loss or damage occasioned to any person acting or refraining from acting as a result of the material in this webpage.
NORTHERN QUEENSLAND
Tetragonula hockingsi
Previously called Trigona hockingsi
Why has their name been changed?
(A common species in coastal areas of Queensland, especially north of Bundaberg; not recommended for NSW or areas of Queensland below the Brisbane River)
Tom Carter, Rockhampton QLD
Phone: 07 4922 1808
Paul Anderson, Cardwell QLD (in logs & boxes)
Phone: 0419 722 674; 07 4066 8718
Gary Ashe, Calliope near Gladstone QLD (in logs)
Phone: 07 4975 7609; 0402 869 220
Chris Fuller, Kin Kin QLD (in boxes)
Phone: 07 5485 4454
Email: info@nativebees.com.au
Website: www.nativebees.com.au
Ingrid Dimock, My City Garden, The Gap QLD (in boxes)
Phone: 0435 226 912
Email: info@mycitygarden.com.au
Website: mycitygarden.com.au/category/stingless-bees/
Also suppies empty hives with honey collection cups, onsite splitting service and presentations about the bees to gardening clubs, community gardens and educational facilities.
Peter Butler, Rockhampton, QLD (in boxes)
Phone: 0403 085 206
SOUTHERN QUEENSLAND and
WARM AREAS OF NSW
i.e. the far north of NSW and coastal areas down to the mid north coast
Tetragonula carbonaria
Previously called Trigona carbonaria
Why has their name been changed?
(Common in southern Queensland and NSW)
Russell and Janine Zabel, Hatton Vale QLD (in boxes)
Phone: 0404 892 139
Email: bees@zabel.com.au
Website: http://www.zabel.com.au
Tim Heard, Brisbane QLD (in boxes)
Phone: 07 3844 4914
Email: tim@sugarbag.net
Website: http://www.sugarbag.net
Peter Davenport, Elanora QLD (in boxes)
Phone: 07 5533 9383
Vince Ashe, Crows Nest QLD (in logs)
Phone: 07 4698 1701
Tony Goodrich, Brisbane QLD (in boxes)
Phone: 07 3878 2322
Mobile: 0449 746 970
Also supplies OATH hive boxes
Col Webb, Brassall QLD (in logs & boxes)
Phone: 07 3201 7083
Email: coje1122@bigpond.net.au
Don Riding, Clear Mountain QLD (in boxes)
Phone: 07 3298 5253
Email: d.riding@bigpond.net.au
Customer to pick up hives
Mark Grosskopf, Maryvale QLD (in boxes with new queens)
Phone: 0438 623 734
Website: www.croppollination.com.au
Chris Fuller, Kin Kin QLD (in boxes)
Phone: 07 5485 4454
Email: info@nativebees.com.au
Website: www.nativebees.com.au
Ingrid Dimock, My City Garden, The Gap QLD (in boxes)
Phone: 0435 226 912
Email: info@mycitygarden.com.au
Website: mycitygarden.com.au/category/stingless-bees/
Also suppies empty hives with honey collection cups, onsite splitting service and presentations about the bees to gardening clubs, community gardens and educational facilities.
John Waters, Bardon QLD (in boxes)
Phone: 07 3870 8664
Email: yodaregen@fastmail.fm
George & Julie Hood, Cleveland QLD (in boxes)
Phone: 07 3286 4475
Email: george@hoodsbees.com
Website: www.hoodsbees.com
Frank Adcock, Nashua, Northern Rivers area of NSW (in boxes)
Nashua Native Bees
Phone 02 6629 1431
Email: nnbees@bigpond.com
Customer must pick up hive from Nashua.
Frank provides a booklet entitled "Getting Started with The Australian Native Stingless Bee" with the first hive and ongoing support.
Graeme Rose, Taree NSW (in boxes)
Phone: 02 6553 9052
Mob: 0438 539 052
Email: grosebusiness@gmail.com
Website: www.tareenativebees.com.au
Hives may be purchased by customers living between Port Macquarie and coastal Newcastle. Customers may pick up hives or Graeme will deliver them. Delivery by mail not available.
Shane Pollock, Upper Caboolture QLD (in boxes)
Email: shanesnatives@gmail.com
Austroplebeia sp.
(Most common in central Queensland)
Russell and Janine Zabel, Hatton Vale QLD (in boxes)
Phone: 0404 892 139
Email: bees@zabel.com.au
Website: www.zabel.com.au
Vince Ashe, Crows Nest QLD (in logs)
Phone: 07 4698 1701
COOLER AREAS OF NSW
i.e. Central Coast, Sydney, eastern side of the Blue Mountains and South Coast
Notes:
--- Log hives with thick walls are recommended for the NSW South Coast because they are better insulated than boxed hives.
--- On the western fringe of Sydney and the eastern side of the Blue Mountains, special care needs to be taken in siting boxed hives. Placement in a shed or verandah is recommended. Log hives are more reliable.
--- Keeping stingless bees is not recommended on the western side of the Blue Mountains and in more inland and southern areas of NSW because low winter temperatures can cause loss of hives.
--- Honey harvesting is not recommended in cooler areas of NSW because the bees need their excess honey stores to survive the winter months.
--- Hive splitting should be done less frequently cooler areas of NSW and it requires greater care to prevent loss of hives.
Tetragonula carbonaria
Previously called Trigona carbonaria
Russell and Janine Zabel, Hatton Vale QLD (in boxes)
Phone: 0404 892 139
Email: bees@zabel.com.au
Website: www.zabel.com.au
Tim Heard, Brisbane QLD (In boxes)
Phone: 07 3844 4914
Email: tim@sugarbag.net
Website: www.sugarbag.net
Vince Ashe, Crows Nest QLD (in logs)
Phone: 07 4698 1701
Tony Goodrich, Brisbane QLD (in boxes)
Phone: 07 3878 2322
Mobile: 0449 746 970
Also supplies OATH hive boxes
Mark Grosskopf, Maryvale QLD (in boxes with new queens)
Phone: 0438 623 734
Website: www.croppollination.com.au
Chris Fuller, Kin Kin QLD (in boxes)
Phone: 07 5485 4454
Email: info@nativebees.com.au
Website: www.nativebees.com.au
Ingrid Dimock, My City Garden, The Gap QLD (in boxes)
Phone: 0435 226 912
Email: info@mycitygarden.com.au
Website: mycitygarden.com.au/category/stingless-bees/
Also suppies empty hives with honey collection cups, onsite splitting service and presentations about the bees to gardening clubs, community gardens and educational facilities
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
Keeping stingless bees in the ACT is not recommended because it is outside of the natural geographic range of the stingless bees.
VICTORIA
Keeping stingless bees in Victoria is not recommended because it is outside of the natural geographic range of the stingless bees.
TASMANIA
Keeping stingless bees in Tasmania is not recommended because it is outside of the natural geographic range of the stingless bees.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Keeping stingless bees in South Australia is not recommended because it is outside of the natural geographic range of the stingless bees.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Stingless bees occur only from the Hamersley Ranges northwards in Western Australia. The species found in these areas are not currently available for commercial sale.
Local Western Australian authorities are strongly opposed to stingless bees being brought into more southern areas of Western Australia as they would disturb the unique balance of Western Australia's wildflowers and pollinators.
Aussie Bee firmly supports the position of the Western Australian authorities in this issue and is keen to protect Western Australia's wonderful native bee species.
All of the beekeepers whose details are listed on this page have agreed not to send hives of stingless bees into southern areas of Western Australia.
NORTHERN TERRITORY
A variety of Tetragonula hockingsi is found in northern areas of the Northern Territory but other Northern Territory species differ from those of the eastern states. Obtaining nests of stingless bees from local sources is recommended in the Northern Territory.
NOTE TO STINGLESS BEE HIVE SELLERS:
If you wish to have your contact details added to these lists, please write to the ANBRC at the address below
Note: To have your contact details listed on this page as a hive seller, you must undertake not to send any stingless bees into southern areas of Western Australia.
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