Alice Springs Desert Park

ASDP BeesAmegilla chlorocyanea Bee Braunsapis sp Exoneurella eremophila Bee Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) Lasioglossum (Homalictus)

The genus Braunsapis sp. include 22 named species on Atlas of Living Australia (at time of writing)3. They are commonly known as Reed Bees, as they nest in the hollow of reeds and stems.

Native bee - Braunsapis sp. in Native Bluebells (Wahlenbergia queenslandica), Alice Springs Desert Park NT
Braunsapis sp. in Native Bluebell (Wahlenbergia queenslandica), Alice Springs Desert Park NT

One minute we were watching Braunsapis sp. collecting pollen, bum up in the air, then in a split second it was out of the flower and then gone…

Native bee - Braunsapis sp. in Native Bluebells (Wahlenbergia queenslandica), Alice Springs Desert Park NT
Braunsapis sp. in Native Bluebells (Wahlenbergia queenslandica), Alice Springs Desert Park NT
Native bee - Braunsapis sp. in Native Bluebells (Wahlenbergia queenslandica), Alice Springs Desert Park NT
Braunsapis sp. in Native Bluebells (Wahlenbergia queenslandica), Alice Springs Desert Park NT
Native Bluebells (Wahlenbergia queenslandica), Alice Springs Desert Park NT
Native Bluebells (Wahlenbergia queenslandica), Alice Springs Desert Park NT

The commonly named Reed Bee group include the genus Exoneura and Exoneurella.

More information on Fauna > Insects > Bees > Braunsapis sp.


  • Scientific classification
  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Arthropoda
  • Subphylum: Hexapoda
  • Class: Insecta
  • Informal: Pterygotes
  • Order: Hymenoptera
  • Superfamily: Apoidea
  • Informal: Apiformes
  • Family: Apidae
  • Subfamily: Xylocopinae
  • Tribe: Allodapini
  • Genus: Braunsapis
  • Species:
    • Braunsapis anthracina Reyes, 1993
    • Braunsapis associata (Michener, 1961)
    • Braunsapis biroi Friese, 1909
    • Braunsapis clarissima (Cockerell, 1929)
    • Braunsapis diminuta (Cockerell, 1915)
    • Braunsapis diminutoides Reyes, 1993
    • Braunsapis dolichocephala Reyes, 1993
    • Braunsapis eximia Reyes, 1993
    • Braunsapis falcata Reyes, 1993
    • Braunsapis hirsuta Reyes, 1993
    • Braunsapis hyalina Reyes, 1993
    • Braunsapis minor (Michener & Syed, 1962)
    • Braunsapis nitida (Smith, 1859)
    • Braunsapis occidentalis (Michener & Syed, 1962)
    • Braunsapis platyura Reyes, 1993
    • Braunsapis plebeia (Cockerell, 1929)
    • Braunsapis plumosa Reyes, 1993
    • Braunsapis praesumptiosa (Michener, 1961)
    • Braunsapis protuberans Reyes, 1993
    • Braunsapis simillima (Smith, 1854)
    • Braunsapis unicolor (Smith, 1854)
    • Braunsapis verticalis Reyes, 1993

Footnote & References

  1. Many thanks to Ken Walker for ID, Bee Aware of Your Native Bees (Australia), Facebook group, https://www.facebook.com/groups/beeawareofyournativebees
  2. Many thanks to Kit Prendergast for ID, The Buzz on Wild Bees, https://www.facebook.com/groups/buzzonwildbees/
  3. Braunsapis Michener, 1969, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/a30fe391-bf72-4232-85e5-475a66a707e2

ASDP BeesAmegilla chlorocyanea Bee Braunsapis sp Exoneurella eremophila Bee Lasioglossum (Chilalictus) Lasioglossum (Homalictus)

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