Teddy bear bee

Amegilla bombiformis

Should I report?

Teddy bear bees (Amegilla bombiformis) are native to Australia. While teddy bear bees look similar to bumblebees, they have a slightly different appearance. You do not need to report teddy bear bees.

Description

The teddy bear bee has golden brown colouring and ranges from 15-20mm in length and are typically a fatter looking bee than European honey bees. They have dark hairless bands on their abdomen and are covered all over, including legs, in golden brown hairs. They have dark brown wing colour and medium length antennae.

They live solitary or within close range to other teddy bear bees and they choose small burrows in soil or eroded banks to live. Compared to the introduced European bumblebee found in Tasmania, teddy bear bees are more golden in colour.

Distribution

They are widely distributed across eastern Australia excluding Tasmania.

Benefit

Teddy bear bees are buzz pollinators playing an important role in pollination services to flowering plants in particular to species that require buzz pollination.