Sapphire Coast BeesMegachile ustulata Neon Cloak-and-dagger Bee (Thyreus nitidulus)

The different native bee species can be found all across Australia, including the Sapphire Coast. They vary in size and colour, some being very distinctive species compared to others. Whilst some native bees may be generalist feeders, some native bee species prefer only specific genus/species of plants.

Megachile ustulata, Wallaga Lake NSW © Deb Taylor
Megachile ustulata, Wallaga Lake NSW © Deb Taylor

Bees belong to the Order Hymenoptera, that includes wasps, ants and sawflies, within Suborder Apocrita and Superfamily Apoidea. They are presently considered a clade, called Anthophila. There is considered to be over 20,000 bee species worldwide, living on every continent except Antarctica. They live in a range of ecosystems from forest, grasslands and arid desert regions.

Green-and-gold Nomia Bee (Lipotriches australica), Wandella NSW © Deb Taylor
Green and Gold Nomia Bee (Lipotriches australica), Wandella NSW © Deb Taylor
Cloudy Masked Bee (Hylaeus nubilosus), Wallaga Lake NSW © Deb Taylor
Cloudy Masked Bee (Hylaeus nubilosus), Wallaga Lake NSW © Deb Taylor
Amegilla asserta, Bermagui NSW © Deb Taylor
Amegilla asserta, Bermagui NSW © Deb Taylor
Neon Cloak-and-dagger Bee (Thyreus nitidulus), Wandella NSW © Deb Taylor
Neon Cloak-and-dagger Bee (Thyreus nitidulus), Wandella NSW © Deb Taylor

You can find out more about our native bees in our section: Insects > Bees

This page is a work in progress, more information coming…


  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Order: Hymenoptera
  • (unranked): Unicalcarida
  • Suborder: Apocrita
  • Superfamily: Apoidea
  • Clade: Anthophila
  • Families:
    • Andrenidae
    • Apidae
    • Colletidae
    • Halictidae
    • Megachilidae
    • Melittidae
    • Stenotritidae
  • Synonyms: Apiformes

Footnote & References

  1. Photographs © Deb Taylor
  2. Flora and Fauna, Eden Community Site, https://www.eden.nsw.au/flora-and-fauna/

Sapphire Coast BeesMegachile ustulata Neon Cloak-and-dagger Bee (Thyreus nitidulus)

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