Permaculture Northern Beaches has a very successful native bee program where we provide schools, community gardens and kindergartens with hives every season. In October and into November, we split these native bee hives at the gardens/homes of long-term PNB supporters and community gardens.

Native bees are important pollinators and we are contributing to the biodiversity on the Northern beaches through this work.

If you would like to be involved in this work and join our naive bee team please contact info@permaculturenorthernbeaches.org.au with Native Bees in the subject title and we can get you involved in our native bee program and learn more about our bees. Our hive splits are from Mosman to Balgowlah to Mona Vale. We are looking for some hive apprentices and people who have a longer erm commitment to this work!

Great plants for attracting native bees include: Abelia grandiflora, Angophora, Baeckea, Buddleja davidii, Callistemon, Eucalyptus, Grevillea hybrids, Hardenbergia violacea, Lavandula, Leptospermum, Melaleuca and Westringia. A bundle of bamboo canes, dried mud bricks or a block of hardwood drilled with holes (4 to 9 mm wide and 150 mm deep) can also provide valuable nest sites for your local solitary bees.

For more details on native bees you can go to our factsheet at:

https://www.permaculturenorthernbeaches.org.au/native-bees