Monthly event of the Australian Native Bee Association

Sunday 21st June, 2 – 3 pm

All are welcome to attend in person at Bulimba Community Centre, 1 Barramul St, Bulimba, Brisbane. Free for members, $5 for non-members.

ANBA members can attend online, a link to join will be sent by email approximately 1-2 days prior to the event.

Mites recently discovered on the brood of Australian stingless bees

By Dr Ros Gloag,

The University of Sydney, Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution (BEE) Lab

Abstract: Mites are common in the nests of bees. In some cases, these mites benefit the bees by feeding on fungi or other materials in the nest and therefore keeping the nest and brood clean. In other cases, the mites are parasitic on the bees themselves, such as the famous Varroa mites that parasitizes honey bees. In yet other cases, the relationship between the bees and mites is complex, such that they either benefit or harm the bees depending on their density or some other variable. The mites associated with the nests of Australian stingless bees remain poorly known, but recently a native mite was found living inside the brood cells of Tetragonula carbonaria and Tetragonula hockingsi. In this talk I will introduce our efforts so far to understand the biology of this mite, its interactions with the nest, and its possible impacts on bee health. 

Bio: Ros' research focuses on understanding the evolutionary processes that generate and maintain biodiversity. She addresses fundamental questions in ecology and evolution by studying natural populations of wild bees in Australia. At the same time, she aims to advance the conservation of these important insects and promote their sustainable use as pollinators of crops. Ros completed her PhD in Zoology at the University of Oxford in 2013, followed by a University of Sydney Postdoctoral Fellowship (2014-2018) and Lectureship in Evolutionary Biology at the School of Life and Environmental Sciences (2018-2022). In 2022 she began as an ARC DECRA Fellow researching the genetics and ecology of native Australian stingless bees and in 2023 she was awarded a University of Sydney Robinson Fellowship.

Ros' talk will take  place from 2-3 pm, followed by a general meeting and refreshments for those attending in person.