Both native bees and honeybees prefer native plants with research showing how important native flowers are in supporting native bee and even honeybee populations in urban areas.
Curtin University school of molecular and life sciences researcher Kit Prendergast said the study found Australian and introduced bees preferred to visit and feed from native flowers and plants rather than exotic species, with the former particularly reliant on native flora.
Dr Prendergast’s study focussed on 14 sites across the Perth metropolitan area, including bushland remnants and home gardens.
The research article published by CSIRO Publishing says 10-most visited plants by native bees were exclusively native, whereas for honeybees, although their 10-most visited plants were predominantly native plant species, this selection also included exotic plant species.
“With wild bees facing a global decline, largely due to habitat loss through urbanisation, it is vital to understand their preferences,’’ Dr Prendergast said.
“Although urban areas often have a diversity of flowers compared to natural habitats, many of these flowers are exotic species.
“The research also helps homeowners, landscapers, landcare communities and councils with a ‘top 10’ species to plant.
“By meticulously recording thousands of interactions between bees and flowers, I identified the top 10 flowers that attracted the highest abundance and diversity of native bees.
“All of these were native flora, primarily from the Myrtaceae family (including eucalypts, bottlebrushes and melaleucas) and Fabaceae (native pea plants).
“Remarkably these ‘top ten’ plants were visited by 70-80 per cent of all native bees observed during the study.
“The research shows how important native flowers are in supporting native bee and even honeybee populations in urban areas.
“It also highlights the need for sustainable management of honeybee numbers, as high honeybee populations can deprive native bees of their preferred resources.”
This article appeared on Yanchep News Online on 25 June 2023.
