Questions and Answers for Volunteers Collecting Emerald Furrow Bees in NSW

If you're a volunteer collector for the Emerald Furrow Bee Project, ask us questions here and we will try and answer them quickly. Remember, you may find that someone else has asked the same question, so have a read through the others!

Posted by: JohnG
Date: November 18th, 2008
Time: 9.28:41

Hi Robert  Thanks for your interest. From your description, I am certain that this is not the bee I am surveying. Emerald furrow bees are quite small – around 7mm long (so much smaller than European honey bees), metallic green (they are not dark like you describe), and they are a ground nesting species, that do not make a honey comb. From what you have described, I would say that you do have a colony of feral honey bees. They are the same species as European honeybees (Apis mellifera), but are often much darker. People have suggested that bee keepers often select for the lighter coloured bees, and the darker ones are the ferals, and remain dark for some unknown reason. Competition from feral honeybees is listed as a key threatening process (http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/determinations/FeralHoneybeesKTPListing.htm). I would suggest you keep your distance, and if they are causing problems, then you should contact an expert in pest removal.  Regards and thanks again for watching out for the emerald furrow bee! JohnG

Posted by: Robert (not verified)
Date: November 18th, 2008
Time: 9.17:01

I have been reading a back issue of the Newcastle Herald (Jeff Corbett November 7), about the presence of the bee in the Hunter Valley. I live west of Newcastle and I believe I have a hive of these bees in my back yard. After looking at your web page I am reasonably certain that the hive is bee you are tracking. From ground level the bees look like dark European Bees and about the same size. Initially I thought they were native bees but after the article I am certain they are not. They occupied a possum box about 4 - 6 weeks ago. They are now well established having built a substantial honey comb in the possum box 300 square by 450mm high and about 3m above the ground. The box is full of the bees and we have been keeping our distance.

Posted by: JohnG
Date: November 15th, 2008
Time: 14.54:36

Hi Ann, I would prefer if you put them in the bush area, hills to waterfront. We have lots of volunteers doing trapping in urban backyards so some variety would be good. If all you can manage is your backyard/front yard that OK though! Thanks for your question. JohnG

Posted by: JohnG
Date: November 15th, 2008
Time: 14.51:34

Alistair - Sounds like the files were too big for our system. Try reducing their size by using an imaging program. If you dont have one, try sending them one-at-a-time. If these dont work, Ill have to set up another website where you can upload the photos. 

Posted by: Alistair C. (not verified)
Date: November 3rd, 2008
Time: 10.02:39

How would you like to receive the photos of the traps ? I tried e-mailing them but the email was blocked. Is there a specific e-mail address where we could send them? and is there a file size problem ? Thanks

Posted by: ann scanlon (not verified)
Date: November 3rd, 2008
Time: 9.47:39

When reading through the information sheet, I noticed you request that each persn sample only one habitat. Before I received this data I was thinking of placing the traps in our back yard, close by bushland (hills and lake side) and at a number of family homes within a 12km radius. I havent had a chance to place the traps as of yet due to the night rains, but Im hopeing for a good forcast for Thursday\Friday. As our housing block is only aaverage sloping property, would you rauther the traps placed in similar back yard situations over a 12-15 km range, or would you prefer them close togeather on our block. Or should I put them in the bush area, hills to waterfront. What would you prefer?

Posted by: JohnG
Date: October 28th, 2008
Time: 9.14:49

Hi Irene, The sites you propose sound fine - around creeks and rivers seems to be a 'hotspot' for them. But how far apart are you planning? Having traps close or around 30m apart is fine. Even further is also OK, but remember, the further apart they are, the more careful you will have to be about recording where each trap is located so that we can find it later. The aim of these surveys are to find where the bee is, so its important to record where each trap is. Regards John

Posted by: Irene (not verified)
Date: October 28th, 2008
Time: 8.52:31

Hi John, Do you feel the traps should be fairly close to one another to concentrate on a particular area? I've been thinking of using sites in /near Werakata N P where we do water quality testing but they are quite spread apart. Regards Irene

Posted by: JohnG
Date: October 22nd, 2008
Time: 15.12:14

Hi Vicki, Im assuming you meant the YouTube link? It should work. It is recommended that you have a broadband connection to view these large files. If you continue to have problems viewing it, we can include the video on DVD in the trapping kit - just let us know. As for your rain question, we note that you should avoid rain and wind when trapping. It would be best to check the forecast, but if it does rain during the 2 days, make sure you note that it rained. 

Posted by: Vicki Barry (not verified)
Date: October 22nd, 2008
Time: 14.47:21

If rain occurs during the 48 hour 'collection' period, diluting the solution's strength ... is this considered natural, or do we throw out the solution and start the 48 hour period again? Also tried the link above to view bees ... but it didn't reveal anything. Cheers V

Posted by: JohnG
Date: August 13th, 2008
Time: 9.48:16

Hi Ian and Jennifer - Great questions! Particularly the one about whether it is possible that the bee prefers ridges to river flats. That's exactly the question that I am trying to find out. My own survey work has so far focussed on river flats. So I can't say whether they will be found on ridges. I suspect that the bee prefers open habitat where the soil is bare - the kind of place that is created when a flooded river erodes a bank - but again, I dont know this for sure. My next stage will be to ask volunteers what type of habitat they will survey. Sounds like river side will be a great place for you guys. Why survey in riverside areas when you already know they are in that habitat?, I hear you ask. The aim of surveys is also to find out where the bees have spread - my previous survey work was in a fairly small area (between Singleton and Scone). Surveys this time around will be spread over a much larger area and in all sorts of habitat types - including those where I already know they are found. Keeping stock out is preferable for the 2 days that traps are out. As you would know, cows are inquisitive when humans are not watching. They will likely drink the trapping solution and destroy the sample. But there is no need to fence them out before you start trapping.

Posted by: Ian & Jennifer (not verified)
Date: August 12th, 2008
Time: 18.06:18

Our holding consists of river flats and ridges with a small remnant of temperate rain forest. Is there an "ideal" place for the trap(s) to be positioned. Should we keep stock out of the paddock where the trap has been placed? Is it possible that the bee prefers "ridges" rather than "river flats"? We currently have a riparian section which has been fenced off in order to encourage the growth of young tube stock.Would this be suitable as a collection point? Ian & Jennifer

Posted by: JohnG
Date: August 11th, 2008
Time: 14.26:56

Hi Nancy, You can see what they look like here: http://www.padil.gov.au/viewPestDiagnosticImages.aspx?id=179

Posted by: Nancy (not verified)
Date: August 11th, 2008
Time: 13.49:51

What do the Emerald furrow bees look like?

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