TetragonulaTetragonula carbonaria
Sugarbag Bee (Tetragonula carbonaria), previously known as Trigona carbonaria, is a stingless bee that is endemic to the north-east coast of Australia.
Sometimes known as Bush Bees that is known to pollinate orchid species, as well being identified as an insect that collects pollen from the cycad Cycas media.
Tetragonula carbonaria is a small to medium-sized bee, whose size can vary. It has been documented that the Queensland T. carbonaria is smaller then the same species in New South Wales.
They are also known for their reduced wing venation (the arrangement – number and position – of veins within an insect’s wing) and highly developed social structure that is comparable to the honey bees. T. carbonaria forms honeycombs in their nests, producing an edible honey (the whole nest is sometimes eaten by Indigenous Australians).
- Scientific classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Hexapoda
- Class: Insecta
- Informal: Pterygotes
- Order: Hymenoptera
- Superfamily: Apoidea
- Informal: Apiformes
- Family: Apidae
- Subfamily: Apinae
- Tribe: Meliponini
- Genus: Tetragonula
- Species: Tetragonula carbonaria
Footnote & References
- Tetragonula Moure, 1961, Atlas of Living Australia, https://bie.ala.org.au/species/https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/9ea8a32d-3c40-4930-b4ac-dc5e67c543e3
- Tetragonula carbonaria, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetragonula_carbonaria (last visited Oct. 7, 2022).
- Stingless Bee, Scientific name: Tetragonula carbonaria, Australian Museum, https://australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/stingless-bee/
- Native Stingless Bee – Trigona carbonaria, Brisbane Insects and Spiders, https://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_bees/StinglessBees.htm
- Tetragonula carbonaria, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetragonula_carbonaria (last visited Oct. 5, 2022).
TetragonulaTetragonula carbonaria
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