It’s alive: Douglas’s broad-headed bee has been rediscovered.
Camera IconIt’s alive: Douglas’s broad-headed bee has been rediscovered. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Native bee thought extinct found in Pinjar banksia woodland

Justin BianchiniWanneroo Times

A NATIVE bee presumed extinct since 1994 has been rediscovered after a specimen was collected in banksia woodland at Pinjar in Perth’s northern suburbs.

The Douglas’s broad-headed bee, Hesperocolletes douglasi, which was only known to exist on Rottnest Island before presumed extinct, has been added to the list of critically endangered species in WA.

The bee is just one of the recommended amendments to the list of threatened flora and fauna approved by Environment Minister Stephen Dawson, based on the advice of the threatened species scientific committee.

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Further studies into WA’s flora and fauna have resulted in two species of fauna and nine species of flora being added to the threatened species list.

The western barred bandicoot, Perameles bougainville, once thought to be a single species was re-evaluated and found to be a complex of five distinct species.

Two of these species, the Nullarbor barred bandicoot, Perameles papillon; and the marl, Perameles myosuros, were added to the threatened fauna list as presumed extinct. These species have not been collected since the 1890s and 1920s respectively.

The underground orchid, Rhizanthella gardneri, has been split into two species and now the southern populations of the species are considered to be the separate new species Rhizanthella johnstonii.

Pictured: The underground orchid.
Camera IconPictured: The underground orchid. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Three species of flora improved in threat status, Leucopogon sp. Ongerup, Caladenia hopperiana and Stylidium coroniforme subsp. amblyphyllum, after surveys located new populations and increased number of plants.