Amegilla bombiformis, or Blue Banded Bee - one of the many native bees in Australia.

Here the bee is gathering nectar on a Perennial Basil plant, which flowers for most of the year except winter and is a source of food for Honey Bees and Native Bees also. The Basil plant grows quite large (1.2metres) in a warm climate like Australia and I find it best to prune the plant in mid-summer to a more compact shape which also encourages more flowering on a bushier plant. Previously I used to cut the Basil plant down in middle of Autumn but since I notice it is the last plant with flowers in my garden for the Bees to gather food, I now wait till beginning of Winter before pruning the plant. In our climate the bees are still active until first cold temperatures !