Objects of Substance - BGGS' Native Bees

published in a few years’ time and shared with the world—a starring role for our BGGS bees and scientists!

2022 Beehive health check – Luke Tomkins, Brisbane Native Bees.

So, what keeps our bees busy? While students and staff are occupied around the School, our bees are flying up to 500 metres from the hive to collect pollen, nectar, and resin from other trees and flowers across the Spring Hill Campus and Barrambin (Victoria Park). Next time you’re passing by the hive, look for the bees returning with balls of (usually) yellow pollen on their back legs. Back in the hive, they’re also busy making small amounts of tangy-tasting honey, though much less than non native honeybees. No holidays for these Grammar residents—they’re busy bees all year! With a health check in 2023 Term 4, we are hoping the colony will be active and buzzing and ready to be split for relocation to Rangakarra or Marrapatta campuses to continue the research with UQ and the importance of the role our school environment plays in maintaining biodiversity and healthy ecosystems locally, nationally, and globally.

Robyn Osborn Communications Project Manager

References

2022 GECO and Grammar Goes Green History unpublished. BGGS Magazines 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022. Cross, Sacha email 12.07.23 https://environment.uq.edu.au/community/native-bee-citizen-science-project