Dec 17, 2025
#3421 - Hylaeus ruficeps ssp. kalamundae
A female, about to bubble nectar to reduce the water content.
A male, who had been investigating resin on Corymbia trunks, and small holes on a fallen log. He was probably doing the latter to find any females nesting in the holes, since these solitary bees nest in old beetle holes in wood, when they're not working hard at collecting nectar and pollen from Corymbia and other local eucalypts.
On the other hand, they've also been found mass nesting in polystrene insulation blocks. Kit Prendergast, expert on our local bees, found that the bees actually prefered the plastic to specially made wooden bee hotels.
The species is found from the Perth area south to Kojonup.
Lake Mealup, S. of Perth
