Page 3627 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 22 November 2022
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The diverse mix of native forest, woodlands and grasslands, and the spring blooms of the household gardens and urban streetscapes of the ACT, provide a habitat for native bees and European honey bees alike, allowing different bees to access their preferred food source. The different species that can be found across Canberra can be explored on the Canberra nature map, and new records can also be added by citizen scientists for expert verification.
While it is an introduced species, the European honey bee is highly adapted to pollinating the blossoms of cultivated varieties of plants, as well as some natives. Apples and pears are grown commercially in the ACT and are examples of food crops that require insect pollination, which is primarily carried out by European honey bees. European honey bees tend to be very efficient pollinators of introduced plants, particularly species cultivated for their flowers, fruits, nuts and seeds, so the services they provide are invaluable and essential for Australia’s ongoing food security.
Native bees, such as my favourite, the blue banded bees, are common in the ACT. They use a mechanical buzz pollination technique that has co-evolved to access nectar and pollinate the blossoms of certain native trees and shrubs that European honey bees are unable to access. Native bees and other pollinators are critical for the survival and the reproduction of many of our native plant species.
We often forget the major role that non-apiarian insect pollinators play, too. Many native species of flies, including hover flies, butterflies and moths, beetles and wasps are key pollinators in ACT ecosystems and their contribution should be recognised.
I note the request by the member for Yerrabi for detailed information about bees and other pollinators, including the location of hives and nectar sources, and the potential threats due to biosecurity incursions and inappropriate use of insecticides. Much of this information is publicly available, but a submission will be prepared ahead of next year’s World Bee Day, an important day that I advocate for, and formally recognised earlier this year, on 20 May, in a ministerial statement.
There are issues affecting pollinators. Across Australia, habitat destruction, biosecurity threats, pesticide selection and application, and climate change continue to threaten populations of pollinators. Some of the work underway to protect pollinators includes protecting habitat, improving waterways, supporting urban agriculture and reducing pesticide use. I note Ms Lawder’s comment around an outstanding question on the use of pesticides on sportsgrounds, and we have already started following that up with the directorate.
I would like to touch on the New South Wales varroa mite response that a number of members today have spoken about. Varroa mite, or varroa destructor, is the number one biosecurity threat to introduced honey bees in Australia. The parasite’s first incursion into mainland Australia was originally detected at the Port of Newcastle on 22 June 2022, and eradication efforts are ongoing across New South Wales.
Varroa mite has not been detected in the ACT. I would like to thank our hardworking biosecurity team for their hard work in protecting our hives. Some of the measures that have been taken to date include surveillance of varroa mite, in partnership with a
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