New Zealand has around thirty different species of native bees. Most are solitary ground nesting bees - commonly referred to as mining bees as individual females construct their nests in the ground. During the active flight season (spring-summer), many individuals nest alongside each other and form large communities called aggregations.

Native bees are pollinators of wild and cultivated plants, and play an important role in ecosystems. However, studying native bees can be difficult as there are few ways to easily monitor them. As a result, there is much to learn about their populations, diversity and distribution throughout NZ.

The aim of this project is to find out the characteristics of sites where native bees are nesting. In what soil types do they form nesting aggregations? Do certain species prefer particular soils? In an attempt to answer these questions, I've taken soil samples from native bee nesting areas which will be analysed in the next few months. Any observations of active native bees and nesting aggregations within the Waikato region and surrounding areas would provide valuable information. less ↑