Dr Karl Podcast Queen bees, anaphylaxis and bee hotels
Jul 3, 2025
Clancy Lester, a bee expert and environmental educator known as the bee man, joins Bianca Nogrady, a passionate beekeeper. They discuss the intriguing personalities of bees and the misconceptions surrounding local honey as an allergy remedy. The conversation highlights the critical role of stingless bees in ecosystems and agriculture, as well as the declining populations of native bees. They also evaluate the effectiveness of commercial bee hotels, urging better practices for bee conservation and emphasizing the fascinating dynamics within bee colonies.
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Bees Essential for Crop Pollination
- Bees are crucial for pollinating many fruits, nuts, berries, and vegetables worldwide.
- Without bees, crops like watermelons, almonds, and tomatoes would struggle, impacting global food supply.
Most Native Bees Are Solitary
- Only 11 of Australia's 2,000 native bee species have queens and live in hives.
- Most native bee females are solitary, each acting as their own queen nurturing their nests.
Supporting Native Bees in Gardens
- Plant native or indigenous wildflowers to support native bees and pollinators.
- Create supplementary nesting habitats like bee hotels from natural materials and leave bare soil patches for ground-nesting bees.