Hylaeus alcyoneus
In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%
Hylaeus alcyoneus, commonly known as the banksia bee, is a species of solitary bee in the family Colletidae. It is common in coastal regions of southern Australia. Both sexes are mostly black with a metallic blue abdomen. It is usually found on or near Banksia flowers, but it will visit other flowering species in eastern Australia. In areas with high honeybee densities, the banksia bee produces less nests due to competition for floral resources.
The banksia bee was originally described by German entomologist Wilhelm Ferdinand Erichson in 1842. Its specific epithet is derived from the Ancient Greek halcyon (meaning “kingfisher”), relating to the kingfisher-blue colour of the abdomen. The common name refers to the species’ particular fondness for visiting banksia flowers. It is the only species in the subgenus Macrohylaeus, as proposed by Charles Michener in 1965.
This is a relatively large and robustly-built species of bee, measuring 8.5-12mm in length. On average, males are significantly larger than females, which is unusual amongst hymenopterans. Both sexes have a black head and thorax, black legs and a metallic blue abdomen. Females have three vertical... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blue Mountains National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Banksia Bee sighting in Sydney on a given day, based on 11 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 492nd most-seen of the 742 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Banksia Bee in Sydney on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Banksia Bee sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 cities where we can rate Banksia Bee sightings, Sydney ranks 2nd at under 5%. The best odds are in Perth (Australia, about 10%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Banksia Bee is recorded against all the insects logged in Sydney (11 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
