New Zealand Native Bees and How to Support Them
New Zealand has around 28 species of native bee, and almost nobody notices them. They are small, often dark, and they live nothing like the honey bee. They are solitary rather than social, they nest in the ground or in tunnels rather than in hives, and they make no honey. They fall into three groups: Leioproctus, the largest and most common and the hairy ground-nesters you are most likely to see; Lasioglossum, our smallest bees at 4 to 8 mm and nearly hairless; and Hylaeus, shiny and almost hairless with pale face markings, which nest in hollow stems rather than the soil.
These bees do not swarm, do not sting readily, and quietly pollinate native plants and parts of your garden for free. Supporting them is some of the easiest conservation a homesteader can do, because what they need most is to be left a little undisturbed.
How native bees live
A native female digs a narrow burrow, often tens of centimetres deep, into bare dry soil or a sunny bank. She stocks each chamber with pollen and nectar, lays a single egg, and seals it. There is no colony, no queen, and no shared honey store. Each female works alone.
Because there is no hive to defend, native bees are gentle and almost never a problem to have around. You may see small holes in a dry north-facing bank in summer, with little bees coming and going. That is a nesting site, and it is worth protecting.
Why they matter
Native bees are important pollinators of New Zealand native plants, and they pitch in around the garden too. They evolved alongside the local flora and visit flowers that honey bees may overlook.
Many native bee populations are under pressure from lost habitat and pesticide use. A backyard that offers them food, bare ground and a chemical free patch becomes a small refuge, and there is no registration, treatment or cost involved as there is with honey bees.
How to support them in your backyard
Supporting native bees is mostly about leaving things alone and planting well. They need somewhere to nest, something to eat through the warmer months, and freedom from broad spectrum sprays.
A sunny, dry, north-facing patch of bare soil that you do not mulch or dig is the most valuable thing you can offer ground-nesting species. Pair it with flowering natives and an unsprayed garden and you will likely already have native bees you have simply never spotted.
- Leave a patch of bare, dry, sunny, north-facing soil undisturbed for nesting
- Plant flowering natives such as manuka, kanuka and rata, plus open garden flowers
- Avoid broad-spectrum insecticides anywhere near nesting and foraging areas
- Resist the urge to mulch or dig every bit of ground, leaving some open and undisturbed
Frequently Asked Questions
Do New Zealand native bees make honey?
No. Native bees are solitary and do not store honey or build communal hives. Each female provisions her own nest with pollen and nectar for her young. They are valued as pollinators, not for any honey crop.
Are native bees dangerous to have around?
Not at all. Because they have no colony to defend, native bees are very gentle and rarely sting. Having them nesting in a sunny bank on your section is a good sign and poses no real risk to people or pets.
Can I keep native bees like honey bees?
No, they are not kept in hives or managed like honey bees. The way to have native bees is to make your backyard welcoming with bare nesting soil, native flowers and no sprays, then let the wild population find it on its own.