Katanning Environmental Nursery visitors catch the bug

Entomologist Dr Sue Jaggar hosted a bug meet and greet at the Katanning Environmental Nursery on Saturday, February 4.

The star insect of the afternoon safari was the bee, both the introduced honey bee and the much smaller native bee.

While the honey bee is essential for pollination and food production, they are a menace in the bush, where they compete against the native bee and benefit from adaptations that local species do not possess.

Nets were swung over branches and specialised bug vacuum guns were used to collect insects for identification before they were released without harm.

Among the many bees studied in the field, the wasp mimic bee (Hyleoides concinna) was the most interesting to encounter.

The native bee has evolved a long thin body and banding similar to wasp, an effective deception that helps avoid predation.