Blue Banded Bees - Amegilla sp.

There are 15 Australian Blue Banded Bee species that have been identified. These bees (mostly 8-13 mm long), with glittering stripes of blue or whitish hair across their black abdomens, are often seen darting around the flowers of lavenders and abelias. 

The females build nests in shallow burrows in the ground, but they may also nest in mudbrick houses or in soft mortar. Each female builds her own nest burrow, but many bees often nest together in the one place.  

Research has shown that Blue Banded Bees could be valuable pollinators of greenhouse tomatoes. 

Information sourced from Aussie Bee and photo credit Erica Siegel. www.aussiebee.com.au/blue-banded-bee-information.html