Australian Native Bees | News & Info

Stingless Bee Species Takeover

Species Takeover

Retreating edge – Tetragonula hockingsi

These two colonies are south of Brisbane in the Logan area. Both were Tetragonula carbonaria last time i was there. Since then one has been taken over by the species Tetragonula hockingsi. You can see the main difference in the brood structure, the Tc species have the spiral brood structure and the Th species the more random brood structure.

Advancing front – Tetragonula hockingsi

It’s not uncommon for different species to take over another colony. Some say hockingsi are more likely to take over carbonaria, and some say the opposite, maybe it’s more likely that a strong colony will take over a weaker colony of either species. I just know that they can bite!

Spiral brood structure of the species Tetragonula carbonaria

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