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Tetragonula hockingsi bee colony is a tropical to sub tropical bee found in coastal areas of Queensland and also the Nothern Territory. They have a population 20 to 50% larger than typical Tetragonula carbonaria. They are living large in sunny QLD. The major characteristics of hockingsi are the ability to handle heat, and the ability to defend their nest. The brood structure, particularly in northern populations of this species is more porous, allowing air to flow through and cool it. In large cavities such as water meter boxes where they sometimes nest, hockingsi often have an empty area close to the brood which allows for more air flow when times are hot. Hockingsi also use less involucrum to surround the brood area. Much of the year the top of the brood has no involucrum covering at all. As well as aiding ventilation and heat management, this is a plus for hobby bee keepers as you can see the queen laying eggs and baby bees hatching. Tetragonula-Hockingsi are fantastic additions to any home garden for pollination, and they don't sting so they are fantastic for children to observe in their Hives through a viewing panel of which all of our Ripley Valley Native Bee Hives are fitted. Tetragonula Hockingsi bees defend their nest with greater vigor than Carbonaria. Pests are harried and chased off. The down side to this is when you open the hive to perform a split (We Don't Ever Recommend Splitting Hives) or extract honey, you will find the bees of this species nip people more than their Carbonaria cousins. I have found that a cheap mosquito net that goes over my hat fixes this problem. In saying that bites don't hurt, it's just more annoying when working on a hive than anything else. Completely harmless and stingless.
