• Australian Honeybee origins dates back to an estimated 80+ million years.
• Before the age of beekeeping, honey hunting was the primary practice.
• Free living honeybees are naturally occurring. Wild honeybees can also originate from a swarm from a beehive.
• Wild honeybees develop complex adaptation and hybridisation techniques.
• Honeybee nests may be found along songlines and in areas of magnetic activity such as underground water streams, mineral deposits, and other areas of significance.

• Open air: comb will hang off branches or trees in the air often high in the canopy.
• Cavity nesting: Cavities of approximately 40L of space such as tree hollows, caves and habitations.
• Habitations: cavities in homes, building, walls often provide nesting space.
• Flight path: A direct and active channel of bees traveling to and from a destination often a flower or water source. 
• Scent: Hive air will present strong aromas of honey and beeswax. 
• Sound: Buzzing will begin at sunrise and carry out until sundown.

• Body colour: wild bees of the Apidae family display dark body colouration
• Wing venation: variations will be seen in the wing structure and vein pattern

• Body size:

Melipona bee: 3-4 mm in length

Apis. cerana: 7.0-10 mm in length

Apis mellifera: 10-15 mm in length

Apis florea: 7.0-10 mm in length

• Defense: You may see a number of guard bees defending the entrance. 
• Foraging activity: is an indication of a strong hive. You may see bees returning with full pollen pockets.

• Propolis: You may see a coating of propolis covering the entrance to the city gates
• Outer walls: Honey and eggs are protected in between the outer walls of wax and the natural hive wall.
• Darker comb: High propolis development which displays strong defence qualities for hive health
• Hexagon: comb sizes will vary according to their environment, season and local resources.

Attach a piece of spider web to a bee and watch as they fly toward their nest and continue to follow this directional process.