GREEN CARPENTER BEE

The Hon. CARMEL ZOLLO (15:24): My question is to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation. Can the minister inform the chamber about the work being undertaken to determine the green carpenter bee population on Kangaroo Island?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:25): I thank the honourable member for her very important question. The green carpenter bee (Xylocopa, or as it used to be known from about 1856, Lestis; some of the members opposite might remember it from then) can only be found on Kangaroo Island and in some coastal parts of Queensland and New South Wales.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: I don't think you'll get a gig at the Fringe. Stay where you are.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: I have no intention of going anywhere, Mr Ridgway. The green carpenter bee has become extinct on mainland South Australia and Victoria, I understand, most probably as a result of land clearing activities. Kangaroo Island has the last remaining vegetation for the native bee in southern Australia. Xylocopa is the largest native bee in southern Australia and plays an important role in the ecosystem of Kangaroo Island. Its unique blue-green colour and its two centimetre body length, along with its buzz pollinating method of pollinating, make this a very distinctive bee indeed.

Buzz pollinating bees vibrate the pollen out of the tube-like anthers of buzz pollinated plants. Native plants reliant on buzz pollination and seed production include guinea flowers, bush tomatoes, chocolate and flax lilies, and velvet bushes. I am advised the introduced Ligurian honey bee cannot pollinate buzz pollinated plants as it does not collect pollen through buzzing, and this underlines the importance of the green carpenter bee to the local environment.

After the 2007 wildfires on Kangaroo Island, the bee populations are believed to have been dramatically reduced. Remarkably, this bee is known to be a solitary animal; it does not live in a hive and can generally be found on its own or with one or two others. The green carpenter bee nests in dry flowering stalks of yaccas and in the trunks and branches of dead banksia. The bees mate in each spring and the offspring stay in the stalks until the following spring.

I understand the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife has funded the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources with a grant of $18,000 to run a program to determine the current numbers and key habitats of the green carpenter bee on Kangaroo Island. The Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources is working closely with both the local community and the Friends of the Green Carpenter Bee to develop a program which will also seek to raise the profile of the bee.

During January an initial survey was carried out in Flinders Chase National Park by insect specialists and enthusiasts. Active nests were found at the western end of the island, a great start to this important program. Kangaroo Island residents and visitors are encouraged to help with the survey by reporting sightings to the South Australian Museum Ecosystem Services. Public seminars are to be held on the island this month to increase awareness about the green carpenter bee. A field day for volunteers is currently scheduled for spring this year, and I encourage honourable members who may have an interest to let us know and we will try to accommodate their interests.

The Hon. J.M.A. Lensink: Will you be there?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: We will see if it fits into my hectic diary. But if the Hon. Ms Lensink wants to come, let me know.

The Hon. T.J. Stephens interjecting:

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: I do, Terry. I will go with you any time you like to look at green carpenter bees. A brochure to promote the survey of the green carpenter bee has been produced and is available from the Natural Resources Centre located at Kingscote.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway interjecting:

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: The Hon. Mr Ridgway will know it is probably best not to transfer gumnuts or any other vegetation on your boots around this state, for obvious reasons. I am advised that the survey will end in early 2014, with a report on the findings due in June. It is anticipated that the survey will provide much needed population information about this wonderful bee. The ongoing existence of the green carpenter bee on Kangaroo Island is something for conservationists on the island and the wider community to be excited about.

The Hon. J.M.A. Lensink interjecting:

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: Thank you, Michelle! The state government remains committed to the ongoing protection of our vast and diverse habitats and ecosystems, and this program is one example of our efforts in this area.