Turns Out, Australia Is Home to Blue Bees, and the World Can’t Get Enough of Their Photos

Yellow and black are the colors that most of us have in mind when we hear the word “bee.” It turns out, however, that bees like wearing other colors too. Amegilla cingulata, or blue-banded bees, have blue stripes on their bodies, and they look so exotic that it seems mother nature turned on the inverted colors mode for a moment.

We at Bright Side rubbed our eyes when we first saw blue-banded bees, and we can’t wait to tell you more about these extraordinary creatures.

Amegilla cingulata comes from Australia and can be seen in all the areas of the country, apart from Tasmania. These black and blue beauties are very important for the Australian food industry, as they help to pollinate at least 30% of crops in the country. These unusual insects can also be seen in Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Malaysia, and some other regions.

Both male and female bees have eye-catching stripes in an opalescent blue color. And there’s an easy way to tell a male bee from a female one: males have 5 blue bands on their bellies, while females have 4.

Bees in other countries:

Bees in Australia:

Amegilla cingulata bees are not as aggressive as other bees, but they can still sting you. Unlike honey bees that prefer to live in large groups, blue-banded bees like solitude. The bees mostly collect nectar from blue flowers. They cling onto a flower and start vibrating to release the pollen.

The blue stripes of Amegilla cingulata have truly mesmerized us, and here are 10 more photos of these amazing bees we’d love to show you!

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What is the most unusual insect or animal you’ve ever seen? Tell us in the comments!