Australia is home to a dazzling array of pollinator species. These include not just the familiar European honey bee, but also thousands of native species of bees, butterflies, beetles, wasps, moths, flies, hoverflies, birds, and even bats that all play essential roles in plant reproduction and food production. But globally and locally, pollinators are under threat.
Recent studies have found that around 40 per cent of invertebrate pollinators, and about 16 per cent of vertebrate pollinators, are declining and at risk of extinction. In Australia, our pollinators are facing a myriad of pressures: habitat loss, urban development, pesticide use, and climate change are all contributing to the steep decline of native pollinator populations. Without these pollinators, entire ecosystems and our food supply will suffer.
The good news is that we can all help. By transforming your backyard, garden, or even a small balcony into a pollinator-friendly habitat, you can provide food and shelter to the species that needs it most. Here’s how to turn your space into a sanctuary for Australia’s native pollinators.
Plant a pollinator buffet
Pollinators rely on flowers for nectar and pollen, their primary food sources. The best way to support them is by planting a diverse mix of native flowering species that bloom at different times of year.
Flowering guide for bees:
- Furrow Bees (Lasioglossum spp.) begin foraging early and prefer shallow, open flowers
- Masked Bees (Hylaeus spp.) become active and forage on tea trees (Leptospermum spp.) and bottlebrush (Callistemon spp.)
- Resin Bees (Megachile spp.) gather resin from plants and forage on flowering eucalyptus, native daisies and salvia and plants in the pea family such as Hardenbergia and Pultenaea
- Leafcutter Bees (Megachile) cut soft leaf pieces to build nests and love plants like guinea-flowers
- Stingless Bees (Tetragonula carbonaria) are active on warm days, visiting bottlebrushes, banksia, and lilly pilly (Syzygium spp.)
Year-round (warm days)
- Blue Banded Bees (Amegilla spp.) perform buzz pollination and prefer tubular flowers like Solanum (eggplants, tomatoes)
- Reed bees (Exoneura spp.) nest in old stems and forage on a variety of native and exotic plants including Acacia, Hakea, Pultenaea and fruit crops like apples and blueberries.
Colour, shape and size are important.
When creating a pollinator-friendly garden, it’s important to consider the colour, shape, and size of the flowers you plant. Bees are especially drawn to blue, purple, yellow, pink, and white blooms, so including a range of these colours can help attract a variety of species.
Red flowers are important to include as they are a favourite of bird pollinators – and Australia has more bird-pollinated plants than any continent.
Flower shape also plays a role for pollinators, as short-tongued bees such as plasterer bees (family Colletidae) prefer flat, open flowers, while long-tongued bees like blue-banded bees are better suited to deep, tubular blooms. Size matters too – smaller native bees often forage on small flowers, while larger bees are drawn to more robust blossoms.
To support your local pollinator populations most effectively, plant species that are native to your specific region. Your local council or a native plant nursery can help identify which species are best suited for your State and area.
Homes and structures for native bees
It is often said that most of the estimated species of native Australian bees are ‘solitary’. But this is not quite right. Most are unlike honey bees or some social Australian bees who form hives and make honey. However, many display some degree of sociality - females builds their own nest but can often be seen in close proximity to others. These nests can be found in soil, hollow stems, rotting wood, or other small cavities. Supporting these nesting and habitat needs is just as important as providing food and nutrients. Approximately 70 per cent of solitary bees worldwide lay their eggs in the ground.
How to provide nesting sites for bee families
Ground-nesting bees
- Halictidae (e.g. Lasioglossum, Nomia) and Colletidae (e.g. Euryglossa, Leioproctus) species prefer bare, well-drained soil or sand
- Leave patches of exposed soil, clay, or sand without mulch or turf
- Avoid compacting the soil, bees need to be able to dig
Wood-nesting bees
- Reed bees (Exoneura spp.) nest in pithy stems of native shrubs
- Carpenter bees (Xylocopa spp.) excavate tunnels in soft, dead wood
- Leave dead stems and fallen branches in sheltered spots in the garden
Cavity-nesting Bees
- Resin bees (Megachile) use cracks, holes or pre-drilled wood
- Leafcutter bees (Megachile) also nest in hollow stems or wooden holes
- Create DIY bee hotels using bamboo, drilled timber, and paper tubes
Leaf-nesting Bees
- Leafcutter bees are among the few that use cut leaves for nests
- Leave soft-leaved plants like roses, legumes, or native peas for them to harvest
Providing a variety of nesting materials will encourage a greater diversity of bee and pollinator species in your garden.
Avoid pesticides and use nature’s pest control
Pesticides, especially systemic insecticides like neonicotinoids, are a major threat to pollinators. These chemicals are absorbed into plants and remain toxic in the nectar and pollen for weeks or even months, poisoning bees and other pollinators who feed on them.
Focus on safer pest control alternatives instead. If pest numbers are manageable, skip the harmful sprays and let the natural predators do the work for you. Australian paper wasps for example, prey on caterpillars which they feed to their larvae. Ladybirds, lacewings, and hoverflies consume pests in both their larval and adult life stages. Praying mantises are also top-level garden predators, as they feed primarily on other insects. Choose plants that support predator insects along with pollinators to keep your garden healthy and thriving.
Let nature be: Re-think garden tidiness
Good habitat design involves more than what you plant, it’s also about how you manage the space. Leave behind some leaf litter, as it provides habitat and nesting materials for bees, beetles, and other insects. Don’t tidy everything – it may not be as aesthetic but dry stems and twigs can host stem-nesting bees and provide materials for bird nests.
Keep dead wood in shaded spots to attract carpenter and wood-boring bees. Limit lawn space, instead replace it with native ground covers or low-growing flowering plants. Reduce artificial lights at night because many insects and birds use moonlight for navigation. Outdoor lights can disrupt their natural behaviours and hence their survival.
Letting parts of your garden go a little wild might feel unconventional, but it’s one of the most effective ways to support pollinator biodiversity.
No garden? No worries: Balcony bee havens
Even small urban spaces can support pollinators; balconies, windowsills, rooftops, and patios can all be transformed into mini-habitats.
Attract pollinators to your balcony by:
- Featuring potted native plants: Use a mix of flowering herbs (e.g. thyme, basil, native mint), shrubs (e.g. grevillea, correa), and daisies
- Installing bee hotels: Hang bundles of bamboo or cardboard tubes in sunny, sheltered spots
- Ensuring there is sunlight access: Make sure your balcony gets direct sun, as most bees are sun-lovers
- Avoiding sprays: Don’t use pesticides or chemical fertilizers in pots
By planting flowering species in clusters and providing microhabitats like twigs, leaves, and even a small dish of freshwater with pebbles, pollinators can be offered all of the resources they need in a compact space.
Every patch matters
Australia is home to some of the world’s most unique bee families, including Stenotritidae and sub-families like Euryglossinae – both endemic to the continent. Many of these species are under-studied, under-recognized, and under threat.
Your backyard, balcony, or verge garden can serve as a stepping stone in a wider network of pollinator habitats across urban and suburban areas. By creating these havens, you are actively contributing to biodiversity, climate resilience, and the future of our food systems. Let your space bloom and buzz, the bees (and the planet) will thank you.
Article by Alice Owen
Resources
https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/full/10.1079/cabireviews.2024.0016
https://australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/paper-wasps
https://australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/praying-mantises-order-mantodea
https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/MEGACHILIDAE
https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/HALICTIDAE
https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/APIDAE
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/524742-Stenotritidae
https://www.environment.sa.gov.au/goodliving/posts/2018/05/attracting-bees
https://davidsuzuki.org/living-green/how-to-attract-pollinators
https://davidsuzuki.org/living-green/how-to-attract-pollinators