Bees are the darlings of the insect world.  It is a great joy to see these tenacious  insects hard at work, peacefully buzzing from flower to flower on warm and  sunny days.  Many people recognise the  worth of bees, as well as that they face many threats. But very few know about  the diversity and importance of our native bee species. There are an estimated  2000 to 3000 bee species in Australia, yet we know very little about the vast  majority of these and there are many that are yet to be described.

Bees of Australia  introduces some of our incredible native bees, many of which, if you look  closely, can be found in your own garden. Open this book wherever you like or  read it from cover to cover. The combination of photography and contributions  from many of Australia’s leading bee researchers allows anyone to become  enthralled by our native bees. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself looking  closer at every flower that you pass in search of our wonderful native bees.