Kangaroo Island: The Isle of (Almost) Forgotten Bees

Table of ContentsKangaroo Island: The Isle of (Almost) Forgotten Bees...........................................................................1

1883: the birth of an idea for a Ligurian bee sanctuary.....................................................................2

1884: the first Ligurian hive reaches KI, Easter Sunday.....................................................................2

1885: “a bill to encourage the culture of Ligurian bees”...................................................................4

1885 – c1890: pioneer Ligurian queen bee breeder, August Fiebig...................................................5

1887: May “It was a wise little bit of legislation”...............................................................................8

1887: April “it will be almost criminal neglect if the islanders continue to ignore such a great advantage.”.......................................................................................................................................9

1888: “The most satisfactory place to get queens from”................................................................11

1904: “Among the collection is a queen bee imported from Italy”.................................................11

1909: “propagation of the species is brought about by the importation of queen bees from Italy”.........................................................................................................................................................11

1912: “Recently a reserve was proclaimed … it is proposed to name Flinders Chase”....................11

1914: “a bee farm was established … but it failed”.........................................................................11

1923-24: “Its former role as a bee sanctuary apparently forgotten”...............................................12

1931: South Australian Apiaries Act................................................................................................13

1944: “It is planned to keep Kangaroo Island as a reserve for breeding these bees”......................13

1947: “A Threat Averted”................................................................................................................14

1949: “Forgotten there for decades …”...........................................................................................15

1957: an “Australasian Beekeeper” advertisement.........................................................................15

1958: “the hives were sold shortly thereafter to Island apiarists”...................................................15

1973: “'I drove by car to Kangaroo Island, conveying across the ferry on the way by the Isthmus of Kitchen Steps.”................................................................................................................................16

1999: “These sites are no longer in use and lapsed leases have not been renewed”......................18

2007: “the Government Bee Farm did valuable work, Island apiarists are continuing this”............18

2010: Hog Bay Apiary......................................................................................................................19

In the End ….....................................................................................................................................20

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Kangaroo Island’s status as an active Ligurian queen bee breeding sanctuary has oscillated between high profile and near oblivion over the 125 years since its creation in 1885 to the present.

1883: the birth of an idea for a Ligurian bee sanctuaryThe birth of the idea for a bee sanctuary on the island began at a monthly meeting of the South Australian Chamber of Manufactures, held on 6 December 1883. 1 A. E. Bonney’s letter was read which stated “that the colony of Ligurian bees which had been ordered on behalf of the Chamber would be shipped from Queensland about the 11th inst, 2 and he hoped to be able to commence rearing Ligurian bees immediately on their arrival. The secretary stated that he had received applications for two colonies of Ligurians. He also reported that if possible the Chamber should take some steps to establish the Ligurian bees on Kangaroo Island, where they could be kept thoroughly isolated, and the stock could be drawn upon as required by other portions of the colony. The Secretary was requested to make further enquiries on the subject.” (p.6)

The steamer South Australian 3 brought the first Ligurian hive to South Australia from Queensland in Dec. 1883

1884: the first Ligurian hive reaches KI, Easter SundayThe oft repeated legend of the birth of the Ligurian bee sanctuary appears on a multitude of web pages dealing with Kangaroo Island and its famous honey bees. The reality is more complex than the simple but incorrect version that twelve Ligurian queen bees were brought to the island from Italy by August Fiebig in 1881. The implication is the quarantine gates were then locked forever after and all the honey bees on the island since then owe their lineage to those original twelve queens. Not so! It didn’t happen that way.

It’s impossible to identify the pedigree of the first two Ligurian hives of bees distributed to Kangaroo Island, one in Easter 1884 and the second in June. However, they were directly linked to the hive Bonney received from Queensland in November 1883. There are several lineage possibilities. Of the first five Ligurian queens Chas Fullwood personally took

1 South Australian Advertiser, 7 December 1883, page 6 2 The ship must have departed some few days earlier than this for the Brisbane Courier, Thursday 13 December 1883, reported the “South Australian was due at Adelaide last night from Melbourne.” (p.4)3 Three images of this ship may be found at flotilla-australia.com/adsteam.htm#south-australian-adsteam

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delivery of in London from Messrs. Neighbour – who presumably sourced the bees from Italy on Fullwood’s behalf – Fullwood retained two in October 1880. By May 1881 he’d increased their number to six. In April 1882 “I have two imported queens still in my apiary besides a number of their daughters that are giving satisfactory results.” In August 1882 Fullwood received five queens alive out of 12 sent from Italy. He may have given two away – possibly to his friend Jas Carroll - for he retained only three of them. A second importation from Italy was made and in August 1883 ten were received alive.

The Advertiser, 24 December 1883, reported “A few weeks since the Chamber of Manufactures forwarded an order to Mr. Carroll, a bee master, near Brisbane, for a swarm of Ligurian bees.” The American Bee Journal, 25 November 1885, stated “Several pure colonies were reared from this one, [the first hive from Queensland] and two of them were sent to Kangaroo Island, where they appear to thrive well.” An almost word perfect report in the British Bee Journal, 1 November 1885, added “They came from the apiary of Mr. Chas. Fullwood.” Whether forwarded by Carroll or Fullwood, the bees must have been sourced from the latter’s importations and/or subsequent breeding activities by either of them.

Bonney’s first hive, ordered by the Chamber of Manufactures, was most likely a daughter or subsequent generation queen bred in Queensland. Knowing Carroll’s long held desire – and failed attempts – to source Italian bees over the previous decade, he would have relinquished Italian born queens only under duress. If I’d been in his or Fullwood’s shoes it would have been a Queensland born queen that was dispatched to South Australia, rather than one of the highly valued queens sourced directly from Italy, or initially, via England.

In the South Australian Advertiser, 7 March 1884, Bonney stated “About three weeks ago I divided the original colony, and the Chamber of Manufactures now possesses three good swarms of Ligurians; two of these 4 will probably be ready to send out towards the end of the month.” And on 9 May 1884 “To show that I think highly of the Ligurians, I may say that in March I imported two more colonies from Queensland. … During Easter holidays Mr. Justice Boucaut took one queen [bred and mated in Adelaide] in a full colony to Mr. Buick, of American River, Kangaroo Island.” From the South Australian Advertiser, 1 August 1884 "On June 25 the original hive of Ligurian bees, imported by the chamber from Queensland, was sent safely to Mr. Turner, at Smith's Bay, Kangaroo Island.”

So, the first queens imported to the island were bred from those received in Adelaide from Brisbane, Queensland, which were themselves imported from Italy via London, with another lot subsequently imported direct from Italy. Queen bees were then raised from these in Brisbane and it was these offspring queens that were sent to Adelaide. From these queen breeding was then performed at Arthur Bonney's Wharton Apiary in Upper Kensington. In Easter 1884 the first of Bonney's hives reached the island (Buick at American River) and the original Queensland hive was shipped to the island in June (Turner at Smith's Bay).

In September 1884 Bonney received seven live queens direct from Italy to Adelaide. At this time no further shipments to the island had been made. By November 1884 at J. H. Wiedenhofer's Ligurian Bee Company, Kent Town, August Fiebig was breeding Ligurian queens. Other mainland beekeepers were also breeding queens in a small way.

In January 1885 two island swarms escaped into the bush. In October that year Bonney received another lot of queen bees from Mr. Bianconcini, Bologna, Italy. As a result, in the following month Bonney sent Ligurian queened hive to each of three islanders: Hicks (Kingscote), Johnstone (Hog Bay), and Waterman (Cygnet River).

4 It’s clear that the statement “two of them [bred by Bonney] were sent to Kangaroo Island” is not wholly correct, as evidenced below. Turner’s hive was the original as sourced from Queensland.

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At this time these hives were geographically isolated but as feral swarms radiated out they would have eventually co-mingled. In January 1885 two Buick swarms escaped into the bush. By March 1886 Turner at Smith's Bay had sold four swarms, given away two and had five swarms left. Some time after August 1886 Mrs. Willson, of Hog Bay, received a mainland bred queen. Other potential beekeepers on the island were also requesting Ligurian hives from locations such as Hog Bay River on the south coast and R. Chapman, of Point Marsden. By November 1887 an apiary had been started at Fairfield Farm, Cape Cassini, by John Midland.

During October - November 1885 twenty-four hives followed by a second lot were brought over aboard the steamer Dolphin from August Fiebig's residence at Pirie street, Adelaide, to Blue Gum Gully, Hog Bay. Thus the first commercial queen bee breeding program officially began on the island, continued to at least 1887 and possibly as late as 1891. August also mated queens at Queenscliffe (Kingscote) during the summer of 1885/1886. Though August Fiebig has traditionally been given all the credit for operating the apiary at Hog Bay, his son, Rudolph, is believed to have performed most of the work on the island while August continued to operate his instrument making business at Pirie Street, Adelaide. 5

Hog Bay had no jetty at that time so transfer of the bee hives from the visiting steamer was by steam derrick on to a lighter, then rowed to a makeshift landing formed by a bullock wagon with the bullocks standing almost shoulder high in the water. By 1886 importation of Ligurians from Italy had become a fad. Ongoing requests were received by the Beekeepers’ Association from islanders and plans were made to charge for the supply of Ligurian queens. Considerable competition by overseas and interstate queen bee breeders as well as those on the South Australian mainland very likely brought about the demise of the island’s first commercial queen bee breeding enterprise.

1885: “a bill to encourage the culture of Ligurian bees”H.E. Downer brought before the South Australian Parliament “a bill to encourage the culture of Ligurian bees at Kangaroo Island 6 so as to keep tho breed distinct from the black bees on the mainland.” Brisbane’s Queenslander for 3 October 1885 reported “A bill has just been passed by the South Australian Assembly named the Ligurian Bees Bill, which sets apart Kangaroo Island as a reserve for Ligurian bees, in as much as it makes it a penal offence for anyone to keep any other sort, the object being to enable the Ligurian strain to be kept pure from inter-mixture with the ordinary black bee. The distance from the main land of Kangaroo Island and its diversity of flora render it well suited for the purpose. Moreover, being situated within thirty days' sail of Italy, the voyage is a comparatively short one; and the danger of loss increases in compound ratio to every day of the journey exceeding one month. It is thought that if a pure strain is once established there the other Australian colonies and New Zealand will be able to draw their supplies thence.” (p.560)

The 1885 act specified: 7

5 Pers. Comm. Ronald Fiebig (August’s great-grandson) 19 November 2010. Ron is now 84 years old, a beekeeper himself until the late 1950s. He has many interests including flying his ultra-light aeroplane, writing a family history, church work and managing some cattle on his property. His sharp mental acuity is clearly apparent.6 The Melbourne Argus, 30 July 1885, page 6; 20 August 1885, page 7 7 Official year book of the Commonwealth of Australia (1920) Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics, pp.1103, 1105

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“No person may have, breed, keep, or import into Kangaroo Island any bees other than pure Ligurian or Italian, under penalty not exceeding £10 for the first offence, and not exceeding £50 for a subsequent offence.”

“A police officer or person authorised by a Justice may enter any house, ship etc., on Kangaroo Island and search for bees other than Ligurian or Italian.”

1885 – c1890: pioneer Ligurian queen bee breeder, August FiebigEnough survives in print of the queen rearing operations of August Fiebig on the mainland from 1883 and Kangaroo Island from 1885 to form a valid picture of this hobby violin maker’s contribution to the island’s apiarian history. However, repetitious misinformation abounds on innumerable web pages regarding his role. Fiebig’s apiary operations on the island commenced in 1884, not the commonly believed year of 1881. 8 By his own words he did not reach South Australia from Germany until 1883. In June 2010 I requested one site to correct their web page which mentions my name and which misinterpreted my investigations on Fiebig as presented in my Vol. II. 9

Private research has found that Fiebig arrived in South Australia in 1881. 10 By July 1886 he was a member of the South Australian Beekeepers’ Association. 11 A State Library of South Australia web page 12 states “The beginnings of an apiary by Mr Fiebig, with particular emphasis on the rearing of "Queen Bees", is reported in the Register, 23 November 1885, (p.5a)” This report’s content appears in my Vol.III: “On Saturday the steamer Dolphin 13 took some boxes containing several swarms of Ligurian bees for Kangaroo Island. The bees belong to Mr. Fiebig, who has taken up some land at Hog Bay, and has already sent over twenty-four swarms. He proposes to breed queens. At least two other web pages 14 provide the following unsourced statement: “In October 1885, August Fiebig began commercial queen breeding near Penneshaw, but ceased operating in 1890 due to geographical isolation and difficulty, in those days, accessing the Island.”

8 The 1881 date for Fiebig’s commencement of operations is not correct, despite the presence of a plaque erected by the National Trust near Penneshaw, which reads “August Fiebig introduced Ligurian bees from Italy in 1881 and established an apiary here.” See my Vol. 2, p.1039 My thanks as they promptly added my corrective comments. See http://www.nativefoodandwine.com/features-journal/the-ligurian-bees-of-kangaroo-island.html10 Private research by Bridget Jolly, obtained from surviving family member, Ronald Fiebig, a great grandson. And for a bit of mystery I located this in: The City Of Adelaide, A Thematic History. August 2006. “The two storey bluestone shop/residence at 242 Pirie Street was associated with the German brothers August and Carl Feibig [sic.] for a number of years in the 1880s. August was an instrument maker and Carl was a bee-keeper. He kept his bees on the first floor of the building and they flew freely in and out of the upper windows.” Were August and Carl actually the same person? Should Carl be given the credit for queen bee breeding and not August? Where did this reference to Carl originate?http://www.adelaidecitycouncil.com/adccwr/publications/reports_plans/city_of_adelaide_thematic_history.pdfMcDougall & Vines, Conservation and Heritage Consultants, Norwood, South Australia11 See my Vol.3, p.9512 http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/manning/pn/h/h5.htm13 From voc.iinet.net.au/rockcoast.html, The goods screw steamer Dolphin was built in Port Adelaide in 1882, was carvel-planked, 100ft long and 146 tons.14 http://www.tourkangarooisland.com.au/wildlife/p354.aspxhttp://nomadsreborn.smfforfree3.com/index.php?topic=716.0

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The National Trust plaque near Penneshaw 15

which gives both the incorrect year of 1881and the source 16 of the bees.

This initially seemed to be a reasonable explanation whereby services from the mainland may have been infrequent at best and access to and from the island may have been mainly by private charter only. Indeed, when Bonney organised shipping of the first Ligurian hive to an island resident, Mr Buick, a former owner of a hives of “black” bees, the services of a judge of the Supreme Court of South Australia and his private yacht were utilised. 17

However I decided to look more closely at the Dolphin’s role. From the middle of April 1882 18 the Dolphin, captained by John Medland, was used by the South Australian Fishing Company primarily for fishing operations and excursions, sometimes calling at Kangaroo Island. From the Company’s 1883 report to shareholders: “When the company was formed [in 1882] the number of inhabitants was probably not over 400; at the present time there are very many more. 19 The passenger traffic to and from Kingscote was then 2,000 per annum, but now there are five times as many up and down. … the traffic between Glenelg and Kangaroo Island has very greatly increased, and is still rapidly increasing, so that in a short time it would probably pay to run the steamer alone for that purpose.” So, by 1885, Fiebig should have had little difficulty in accessing the island and sending orders to the mainland.

In July 1884 Fiebig was carrying on extensive apiary operations on the mainland at Kent Town. From the clues above he was actively migrating his operations to the island during October and November the following year. From The American Apiculturist, May 1885 “Mr. A. E. Bonney under date of July 17, 1884, writes to the Secretary of the Chamber of Manufactures: ‘… Many persons have entered enthusiastically into scientific bee-keeping, and the nuclei of what are intended to be extensive apiaries are already established. At present the largest venture of the kind is at Kent Town, where upwards of one hundred hives are in use, and it is expected to more than double that number during next summer. This apiary is under the care of Mr. Fiebig, who is a recent arrival from Europe and a very able beemaster. He has adopted the German hive and Italian bees with satisfactory results.’ ” (p.105)

15 taken from users.on.net/~hogbay/hogbay2.htm16 The bees were acclimatized in Queensland by Chas Fullwood. See The Immigrant Bees (1995, 1999, 2006, 2010)17 Refer p.105, The Immigrant Bees, Vol. II18 South Australian Advertiser, 3 May 1883, p.619 South Australian Advertiser, 3 May 1883, p.6

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From the title page of Gleanings, January 1888

Fiebig produced his first batch of Ligurian queen bees for dispatch to customers soon after November 1887. L.T. Chambers’ 20 letter dated 6 November 1887, 21 Middle Brighton, [Melbourne, Vic.] appeared in Gleanings in Bee Culture, January 1888. “You will remember that, by a short act of parliament, the government of South Australia set apart Kangaroo Island as a spot for breeding Ligurians only. We are now about to reap the benefit of this, as one of our most experienced bee-masters, Mr. Fiebig, is now busy packing his first orders from there; and as he has had many years’ experience in Germany, as well as here, we are pretty sure of getting the best-bred bees procurable, at a medium price, to commence with.” (pp.52-54)

From Morris Morgan’s July 1970 historical series contribution to the Australasian Bee Keeper: “In 1887, Mr. L. T. Chambers … came to Victoria and became Manager of the Beekeepers’ Supply Co., 18 Franklin Street, Melbourne. ” (pp.26-27) “Chambers owned apiaries at Middle Brighton and Mansfield, the latter held 70 hives. He had raised and sold over 300 queens from imported mothers. During the season he had tested out thirty odd of Fiebig’s Kangaroo Island queens and found them very good, well marked, good layers, very gentle to handle and first rate workers.” (p.173)

One clue to Fiebig’s primary vocation comes from his obituary in the Adelaide Advertiser, 10 January 1908 “Mr. A. Fiebig, a resident of One Tree Hill, died on Monday night after a lingering illness. The deceased came to South Australia from Germany, and for many years was a familiar figure as a "double bass" in the city orchestras. He was also a violin-maker of exceptional ability. 22 About fifteen years ago [ie., circa 1893] Mr. Fiebig went to reside at One Tree Hill, near his son (Mr. R. Fiebig), and until his health failed assisted him in his work as an apiarist. Mr. Fiebig left a widow and four sons (Messrs. Paul, Rudolph, Oscar and Charles Fiebig).” (p.6) 23 For whatever reason the island’s pioneer Italian queen bee breeder was permanently resident on the mainland from around 1893.

20 A biography of Chambers appears in my Bibliography of Australian Beekeeping.21 A previous letter by Chambers to Gleanings (May 1888, p.388), was dated Adelaide, South Australia, 4 April 1887.22 From slsa.sa.gov.au/manning/adelaide/entertai/music.htm“The manufacture of a violin by A. Fiebig is reported in the Register, 14 October 1889, page 5b, 14 July 1891, page 5c”23 Another obituary may be found in the Observer, 18 January 1908, page 40b, according to slsa.sa.gov.au/manning/pn/o/o1.htm, however NLA catalogue states this newspaper ceased in 1904.

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German style hive possibly used by FiebigDesigned by Johann Dzierzon24

From the Directory of Australian Violin and Bow Makers (2009), Fiebig is listed as an amateur maker, 25 so it appears this was not his full time occupation. His performances on the double bass may also have been a leisure activity. 26 He was a member of the South Australian Beekeepers’ Association and in the Bee-keepers' record: a monthly journal of apiculture, 1886 (Vol.4) Fiebig was on notice to deliver a paper on the "Races of Bees" to a future assembly. Given his work as an apiarist at Kent Town from 1884, his queen bee breeding on the island from 1885 until around 1890 and his work as an apiarist with his son Rudolph from 1893, it seems assured he worked primarily as a beekeeper and queen bee breeder.

1887: May “It was a wise little bit of legislation”In the Queenslander, 21 May 1887 “Kangaroo Island: The New Home of the Ligurian Bee. It was a wise little bit of legislation which the South Australian Government effected about two years ago in regard to beekeeping on Kangaroo Island. It was then made a law of the land that no bees other than pure Italians (Ligurians) should be introduced on to the island. The object aimed at is to establish a home for the Italian strain of bees in a locality where it will be impossible for the strain to get sullied, and upon Kangaroo Island there are no bees other than

24 From Wikipedia: “In 1838 he devised the first practical movable-comb beehive, which allowed manipulation of individual honeycombs without destroying the structure of the hive. The correct distance between combs had been described as 1½ inches from the center of one top bar to the center of the next one. In 1848 Dzierzon introduced grooves into the hive’s side walls, replacing the strips of wood for moving top bars. The grooves were 8 × 8 mm—the exact average between ¼ and ⅜ inch, which is the range called the "bee space." His design quickly gained popularity in Europe and North America. On the basis of the aforementioned measurements, August von Berlepsch (May 1852) in Thuringia and L.L. Langstroth (October 1852) in the United States designed their frame-movable hives.”25 The Adelaide Advertiser, 21 April 1890, page 4: Fiebig won a third prize for a violin exhibited at the New Zealand Exhibition, 1890.26 The South Australian Advertiser, 11 September 1883, page 4

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the minute species indigenous to Australasia, and which cannot mate with the larger species. The mating of the queen bee cannot be controlled by man … the copulative act only takes place in the air and there thus is always the chance of a misalliance. …

This black bee is widely dispersed over the whole of Australia, and is exceedingly plentiful, therefore it is apparent that no matter how careful the efforts of the beekeeper may be to keep his strain of Italians pure they may be frustrated. Kangaroo Island is situated at the south of Spencer's Gulf and about sixty miles from Adelaide. In length it is about 100 miles and in breadth about forty. Its nearest point is ten or twelve miles from the main land, and there are no black bees upon it. Now a distance of ten miles over the sea is one that no bee will fly. A bee seldom works more that two miles from its home, though they will go four and five miles by resting from flower to flower.

It is evident, therefore, that a better situated place for preserving any one breed in its purity could not have been chosen, even if the world had been looked over. Even in Italy the purity of the Ligurian strain cannot be universally guaranteed, for bee keepers there are now constantly experimenting with crosses of Cyprian, Syrian, Carniolian, etc. It is not unlikely, therefore, that Kangaroo Island will in time become the depot from which all the world's beekeepers obtain their pure Italian strain. This is the opinion of Mr. Rout, the American authority on apiculture, and he wrote, upon hearing of the dedication of the island to Ligurians, to Mr. Bonney, a South Australian beemaster, congratulating the colony upon this instance of forethought. We are sorry to note from a leading article of the Chronicle that the islanders have not yet realised how much has been done for them by this Ligurian Bee Act. As yet they have done but little to develop what might easily be made a most remunerative industry.

Those bees that have already been raised on the island, however , are superior to the imported bees in strength and fertility, for the long voyage from Italy in a confined space is always detrimental. That Queensland will prefer going to Kangaroo Island for her pure Italians in place of getting them from Italy is certain, for the colonial-born insect will not only be acclimatised but accustomed to be fed on the peculiar honey-secreting plants of Australia. The Queensland bush trees so swarm with bee nests that it will never be possible to produce a guaranteed strain unless some beeless island of our own is discovered and a similar legislative enactment to that of the South Australia Liguria Act be passed.” (p.832)

1887: April “it will be almost criminal neglect if the islanders continue to ignore such a great advantage.”In the British Bee Journal, 16 June 1887, A.E. Bonney demonstrated his frustration and bewilderment at the lack of initiative displayed by the residents of Kangaroo Island in capitalising on the islands status as a Ligurian bee sanctuary. Colonies of these bees had been established on the island and the Ligurian Bee Act passed which protected the islands status, yet no residents had taken the opportunity to establish commercial operations there. Sadly, the expectation that “if you build it they will come” had yet to materialise.

“… The people of Kangaroo Island have not yet realised what has been done for them by the Ligurian Bee Act. In these times of depression, when every new industry however small

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deserves attention, it seems passing strange that the islanders have not done more towards developing what should be a highly remunerative undertaking. They are in a unique and commanding position.

Kangaroo Island is the one place in the world set apart for the rearing and production of pure Ligurian bees, which by an overwhelming weight of authority is pronounced to be the best race of bees known. There are several races of bees bred and manipulated for their honey. Amongst these are the common black bee, the Ligurian, the Carniolan, the Cyprian, the Syrian, and the Holy Land bee, each of which has its adherents. But no bees have so many admirers as the Ligurian, none are such general favourites, and for none is there such a constant and regular demand.

When it is known that bees which are hybridised after the first cross gradually acquire the bad qualities and lose the good qualities of both stocks, and that the fashion of crossing and hybridising has become so common that in some parts purity of race has already become lost, the value of a place whence a pure race can be obtained can scarcely be over estimated. Even in Italy the craze for hybridisation and experiment has become so great that it is feared purity of race will become a thing of the past. It must be remembered that the mating of bees cannot be controlled like the mating of horses and cattle. … If therefore there be two sorts of bees in a neighbourhood, the chance of purity being retained is at all times very uncertain, with a growing tendency to a dangerous cross. …

Mr. Root, one of the first bee-masters of America, on hearing of the dedication of the island to Ligurians, wrote to Mr. Bonney, an apiarian of whom any country might well be proud, that all the world would yet come to Kangaroo Island for its pure Ligurians. … Mr. Bonney has had frequent applications for information with regard to Kangaroo Island queens from Victoria, New Zealand, and Queensland, and is confident that with proper attention a large bee trade could be done. The islanders should remember that their greatest advantage is not in respect of the honey crop, although that would be considerable, but in respect of the rearing of pure Ligurian queens.

At present considerable sums of money are sent from all parts of Australia for the purchase of queen-bees in Italy, the whole of which would come to Kangaroo Island if the demand could be supplied with certainty and dispatch. Those bees which have been hitherto raised on the island excel the imported bees in strength and fertility, for the long voyage from Italy in a confined space is always detrimental and often fatal.

There are scores of men in America who make a handsome living out of queen-rearing, and a large traffic is done by post between the States and Canada, and there would be no difficulty whatever in sending queens from South Australia even so far as New Zealand. A skilful apiarist might easily raise four or five hundred queens his first season, and 1000 queens a year could easily be disposed of after the establishment of a proper queen-rearing apiary became known at 14s. to 11s. each.

It can readily be seen, therefore, what a loss there is in the neglect of this industry by the Kangaroo Islanders. … as the pleasure and profit of bee-rearing are greatly increased by the possession of good working and tractable bees, and as the island has a monopoly in this respect, it will be almost criminal neglect if the islanders continue to ignore such a great advantage.” (pp.255-257) This report was cited as also appearing in the South Australian Advertiser, April 5.

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1888: “The most satisfactory place to get queens from”The Queenslander, 24 November 1888 “… care should be taken to select good breeding queens — I would rather pay £1 or £1 5s. for a really well-bred queen than the same money for half a dozen inferior ones. The most satisfactory place to get queens from now is Kangaroo Island. The South Australian Government have arranged that no black bees shall be kept on the island, so that there can be no possible chance of getting a hybrid queen by mistake.” (p.960)

1904: “Among the collection is a queen bee imported from Italy”At the 1904 Autumn Show of the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society, favourable comment was made about the bees and honey display. “The exhibits occupy almost the whole of the space on the concert platform, and the busy little insects can be seen at work on honeycomb enclosed within glass cases. Among the collection is a queen bee imported from Italy, and the display of beekeepers' appliances is as complete as it is possible to make it.” 27 Why import Ligurian queen bees from Italy when they were available so close to the mainland? Lower cost? Lack of a reliable supply from the island?

1909: “propagation of the species is brought about by the importation of queen bees from Italy”The Adelaide Advertiser, 4 March 1909, reported on the Autumn Show of the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society [of South Australia.] Comment was made about the “Italian bee which is distinguished by three brown bands across the body, is the most suitable worker for this State, and the propagation of the species is brought about by the importation of queen bees from Italy.” (p.12) What of Kangaroo Island’s Italian bees? Had the facility already fallen into disuse?

1912: “Recently a reserve was proclaimed … it is proposed to name Flinders Chase”In the Adelaide Advertiser, 25 November 1912 an article on Bird Protection in South Australia was printed. “Recently a reserve was proclaimed at the extreme western end of Kangaroo Island, known as the Cape Borda lighthouse reserve, but which it is proposed to name Flinders Chase, in honor of the navigator, who landed on Kangaroo Island. It is hoped that eventually a larger area will be granted. The lead in securing this reserve was taken by the native fauna and flora protection committee. The South Australian Ornithological Association also assisted. …” (p.11)

1914: “a bee farm was established … but it failed”An article on apiculture in the Sydney Morning Herald, 25 April 1914, reported on a recent deputation of beekeepers to the NSW Minister for Agriculture. One item was the proposal “that the department should raise queens for disposal to beekeepers, and that they should be of superior stock. This was tried in South Australia, where a bee farm was established for that purpose on Kangaroo Island, but it failed. 28 Then the Western Australian Government tried the same, 29 and that also failed.” (p.10)

27 Adelaide Advertiser, 3 March 1904, page 928 Why did this venture fail? Possibilities include: lack of Government funding and support; lack of sales; poor promotion; inability of a bureaucracy to successfully run a business.29 I don’t know when and where in WA this experiment was tried.

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1923-24: “Its former role as a bee sanctuary apparently forgotten”In the Melbourne Argus, 29 August 1923 “Several suggestions for improvement in the beekeeping industry were put before the Assistant Minister for Agriculture (Mr. Pennington) yesterday by a deputation representing Victorian apiarists.” (p.11) Among these was assistance “in establishing a colony of Italian bees on Groote Island, in the Gulf of Carpentaria. It was the only place in Australia where there were no bees and importation elsewhere in Australia was prohibited.”

On 7 May 1924 the Sydney Morning Herald reported on the opening of the annual conference “of the Ministers for Agriculture ... When the various advisory committees left to commence their deliberations, conference discussed several resolutions submitted by the recent annual conference of the New South Wales Apiarists' Association, at Bathurst. 30 It was decided to approve in principle … resolutions asking for the maintenance of the present prohibition of the introduction of bees, used hives, combs, etc.; the importation under special regulations of pure-bred Italian queen bees for the regeneration of Australian stocks, the proclaiming of Groote Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria, as a sanctuary for Italian bees, and that no exploitation of bees on that island be allowed for at least 10 years, unless by a holder of a permit from the Federal Government. ... It was also suggested that Nauru Island should in addition be made a bee sanctuary.” (p.11) 31 Kangaroo Island’s former role as a bee sanctuary apparently forgotten, no mention of it was made.

The establishment of a bee sanctuary on Groote Island would appear to have been successful 32 as shown by Government notice no. 230 for 1924 which follows. Unfortunately this sanctuary never received its Ligurian colonies of bees. The hives taken to the Northern territory in 1921 and 1925 by A.J. Dyer of the Church Missionary Society’s Roper River Mission in Arnhem Land reached the shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria but were never transferred to the island. 33

Government notice in the Northern Territory Times and Gazette, 26 September 1924 (p.6)

30 See the Sydney Morning Herald, 5 May 1924 (p.7) 31 Also appeared in the Hobart Mercury, 7 May 1924, page 8; similar articles would also have appeared in other State’s newspapers.32 Ongoing research has revealed that the bees taken to Groote Eylandt in 1921 and 1925 by Rev. Alf Dyer failed to reach the island. That story is told in The Immigrant Bees, Vol. V33 See The Immigrant Bees, Vol. V

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1931: South Australian Apiaries ActThe South Australian Apiaries Act of 1931 34 repealed the Ligurian Bee Act of 1885. Section 12.1 states “No person shall bring any bees or cause any bees to be brought into Kangaroo Island.” i This effectively prohibited the keeping of other than Ligurian bees on the island. The current penalty is $5000.

Section 52 of the Livestock Act, 1997, 35 declared the “Reservation of Kangaroo Island for pure Ligurian bees. A person must not keep in or bring into, or cause to be kept in or brought into, Kangaroo Island bees other than pure Ligurian bees. Maximum penalty: $10,000.” Subsequent legislation prevents the introduction of honey products 36 and used beekeeping equipment to the island in order to minimise the risk of introducing bee pests and diseases. 37 A fine of $8000 or two years imprisonment applies for any breaches of the legislation. 38

1944: “It is planned to keep Kangaroo Island as a reserve for breeding these bees”In the Hobart Mercury, 1 November 1944, in an article on the value of honey as a food “Italian bees have proved the best strain for Australia. … One of the finest strains of bees - the Ligurian - was sent to Kangaroo Island off South Australia, many years ago. It is the only place in the Commonwealth where this strain is absolutely pure. It is planned to keep Kangaroo Island as a reserve for breeding these bees.” (p.14) A Hog Bay Kangaroo Island web page states “A Government queen breeding project known as the Bee Farm commenced operations by hiving 300 colonies from tree hollows and burrows in Flinders Chase National Park. 39 “The South Australian Government established a queen breeding station at Flinders Chase in 1944 which became known as the Bee Farm, here queen bees and honey were produced for sale.” 40

An article titled “The Isle of Forgotten Bees - The Romance of Kangaroo Island,” inspired by war time food production contingencies, appeared in Perth’s Western Mail, 3 February 1944. “Nearly 60 years ago Kangaroo Island, South Australia, was proclaimed a breeding sanctuary for Ligurian bees but in later years transport difficulties and other problems caused the enterprise to be dropped and the existence of the sanctuary almost forgotten. Recent investigations on the island have disclosed that pure Ligurian bees still exist there and in this interesting article, Arnold E. Ophel, Inspector of Apiaries, SA, states that there is a possibility that the beekeeping industry will once more be able to obtain bees of an unsurpassed strain which had seemed to be practically lost to the world. In our own State we have a similar breeding sanctuary at Rottnest Island where Carniolan queen bees are bred for distribution to apiarists in many parts of Australia.

Writing in the Adelaide Chronicle, Mr Ophel says that wartime production of essential materials and foodstuffs has brought many surprises to those responsible for their upkeep. … A Forgotten Heritage: Many interesting chapters occur in the beekeeping history of South Australia, and one in particular has a sequel, now about to be written, which will exceed in importance any incident of the past. The black heath bees first brought here nearly one

34 legislation.sa.gov.au/LZ/C/A/APIARIES%20ACT%201931/2001.01.30/1931.2021.PDF35 austlii.edu.au/au/legis/sa/consol_act/la1997128/s52.html36 kangarooisland.sa.gov.au/webdata/resources/files/Draft-Animal-Management-Plan-v4.pdf37 pir.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/40097/apiary_shb_entry_sa_july_06.pdf38 www.southaustralia.com/KangarooIsland_VisitorGuide_07.pdf39 users.on.net/~hogbay/hogbay3.htm40 users.on.net/~hogbay/hogbay2.htm

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hundred years ago from Britain and the Continent proved adaptable to our climate, but they had their defects, two of which were very pronounced-inability to withstand adverse conditions, and an irritable, restless temperament. Then in the 80’s of last century bees from Liguria in Upper Italy became world famous for their hardiness, thriftiness and gentleness, and wherever introduced the black bees were hopelessly outclassed.

In South Australia at that time the Chamber of Manufactures … arranged for the importation of a colony of Ligurian bees, which they hoped to propagate and distribute. It was soon found that the strain could not be kept pure among other bees … It happened that this State was the fortunate possessor of a large island capable of supporting bees and sufficiently distant from the mainland to prevent the black bees reaching it. A request to proclaim Kangaroo Island a breeding sanctuary for Ligurian bees was granted in 1885, and South Australia could then claim the distinction of being the first State to take such a step. … Queens were imported and stock sent to several places on the island, and some commercial breeding was carried on for a few years, but the difficulties of transport in those early days eventually caused it to be dropped, so for nearly 50 years this island sanctuary has been practically forgotten.

Prophecy May Come True: Today the call for more and more foodstuffs makes the need for high quality producing stock more urgent than ever before. Beekeepers everywhere have regretted the decadence 41 of Italian bees; many have found an answer in Carniolan or Caucasian stock. Since the last war it has seemed impossible to secure Italian breeding stock equal to the early importations. The Ligurian strain appeared to be lost to the World.

For this reason the Department of Agriculture attaches tremendous importance to its recent investigations on Kangaroo Island, where it is found that pure Ligurian bees still exist, thanks to natural isolation and the farsightedness of those who sponsored the Ligurian Bee Act long ago to prevent other strains being taken there. The island is already known throughout the world of natural science because the portion called Flinders Chase is set apart for the preservation of certain almost extinct species of Australian creatures, of which the duck-billed platypus and the koala bear are probably the most famous. Here also the original flora is retained, providing a wealth of material for botanical study.

It is therefore a remarkable coincidence that the island has also preserved the remnant of another disappearing species, no less world famous for utilitarian reasons. The Government feels that a responsibility is laid upon it to do all that is possible with this unique heritage, and the embargo against any bees being taken to the island will be rigidly enforced, lest the purity of the strain there is endangered.

Beekeepers everywhere in Australia, and beyond, will be interested to know that arrangements are being made to collect and select stock for a scientific breeding project in the near future. A veritable stud bee farm will be created, and once more the industry will be offered Ligurian bees, worthy of the reputation handed down by those who remember them in earlier days. In the letter quoted previously, Mr Root added: "If you can keep only Ligurian bees on your island, the world will yet come to you for them." That is a forgotten prophecy which may soon be realised.” (p.40)

1947: “A Threat Averted”“Bees to be Flown from Brisbane To K.I.” declared the banner in the Adelaide Advertiser on 2 May 1947: “This month Ligurian strain queen bees will be flown from Brisbane to the SA Government bee-breeding farm at Rocky River, Flinders Chase, Kangaroo Island, to test out the theory that when taken above 3,000 feet the bees' reproductive capacity is permanently affected. The experiment will be under taken by the SA. Department of Agriculture, the Jason 41 A degeneration or decay in its racial purity

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stud farm, 42 Brisbane, Queensland, and Trans-Australia Airlines. At Rocky River the bees will be placed in special hives, where their behaviour, and that of their progeny, will be carefully studied. A similar number of listed [tested] Ligurian queens will be flown from South Australia to Brisbane, where their reaction to the flight will be studied at the Jason stud bee farm. All abnormalities and laying rates will be charted. During the flights, which have been organised by Mr. J. F. Moylan, half-hourly checks will be made on the effects of altitude, temperature, and oxygen pressure. On each journey specified conditions of temperature and pressure will be applied to an equal number of virgin queens. In addition, queens will be carried in observation hives as a control unit.” (p.5)

Twelve days later, under the heading “Importation of Bees - Minister Denies Air Transport Report”, the following appeared in the Adelaide Advertiser: “The Ligurian strain of bees on Kangaroo Island was regarded as sacrosanct, and under no conditions would the importation to the island of any other strain be permitted, said the Minister of Agriculture (Sir George Jenkins) yesterday. He said that it had been stated that experiments would be conducted next month to determine the extent to which air transport could be used to carry bees … Sir George Jenkins said that no arrangement had been entered into with the Department of Agriculture, although the matter had been mentioned. Whatever the merits of the proposed experiment might be, the Apiaries Act provided that no bees could be taken into Kangaroo Island. The intention of this legislation was to keep the Ligurian bees on the island pure. The Agricultural Department was not able to be a party to the Queensland proposals.” (p.5)

1949: “Forgotten there for decades …”In the Melbourne Argus, 23 September 1949 “One of the hives on exhibition [at the Melbourne Agricultural Show] houses wild bees from Kangaroo Island, descendants of bees brought there by old pioneer apiarists from Liguria, 43 Italy, 75 years ago. 44 Forgotten there for decades, their great productivity and docility were recently observed by the South Australian Government, which is now scientifically cultivating the breed.” (p.7)

1957: an “Australasian Beekeeper” advertisementAn advertisement in the Australasian Beekeeper for November 1957 shows the Department of Agriculture’s apiary at Flinders Chase Sanctuary was still active. Three framed nucleus hives were £3 each plus freight; Prices for queen bees, depending on quantity ordered, ranged between 15/- (15 shillings) and £1 (20 shillings / one pound) each, post free within Australia. Cyril Fiebig and Son (Ron) advertised on the same page: Carniolan queens from their “lakeside Apiaries” at Meningie.

1958: “the hives were sold shortly thereafter to Island apiarists”The Hog Bay Kangaroo Island web page states “The bush fires that ravaged the Chase in 1958 45 temporarily destroyed the floral sources and the hives

42 I Googled and found no reference to this business; also, a search of NLA Newspapers Digitisation Program drew no additional hits43 The bees, not the beekeepers44 64 years ago is more accurate45 State Library of South Australia holds a 1 hour audio interview recording of Robert Arthur Winn (1933-) [sound recording] Interviewer: Bridget Jolly. Catlg’d as OH 638/1Summary: “Robert Winn talks about Kangaroo Island, working as deputy to the officer-in-charge of the Ligurian Bee farm, beekeeping, flying to Kingscote, moving into a shack without electricity, fishing, handling bees, type of countryside, breeding queen bees, combining hives, posting bees, Rocky River homestead, raising a wild pig, working with Professor Eckert, Parndana research centre, closure of the bee farm by the Department of Agriculture, Flinders Chase, bushfire in 1958, koalas,

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were sold shortly thereafter to Island apiarists who continue to produce excellent honeys from the flowering eucalypts and other flora.”

A 1951 view of the Government Apiary at Flinder's ChaseSource: State Library of South Australia 46

1973: “'I drove by car to Kangaroo Island, conveying across the ferry on the way by the Isthmus of Kitchen Steps.”The island's Ligurian honeybee (liguryjskimi.Ąródła ) reserve has come to the notice of at least one overseas web site. 47 Polish author Prof. dr hab. Jerzy Woyke studied at six of the island’s apiary sites between September and November 1973. This occurred during a layover on a one year round the world trip. Woyke has lately come to recognise the inaccuracy of the "1881" memorial plaque declaration at Penneshaw.

Language translation sometimes produces interesting side effects. "Backstairs Passage" that separates the island from the mainland becomes "Isthmus of Kitchen Steps." The following paragraph, even given the translation issues, clearly touches on the dangers of queen and offspring-drone “incestuous” inbreeding.

“… in 1944 the state established a station breeding queens in Flinders Chase National Park. Zasiedlono 300 hives with bees collected from hollow trees, burrows and cavities. Uliki wedding transported to different places of the island to prevent krewniaczemu matching mothers and drones. This station was known and called Bee Farm. It made for sale the mother bee and honey. Unfortunately , a bushfire in 1958 destroyed the vegetation around the Chase, depriving the bees Ąródeł food. So beekeepers bees sold the island. Beekeepers appreciate the kindness, the absence of disease and performance of these families.”

While on Kangaroo Island Woyke received a scholarship from the Waite Scientific Institute for Agriculture in Adelaide. 48 “I worked in the Department of Entomology, together with Professor K. Doull. Located relatively close, then 89-year-old reserve honeybee Kangaroo Island was an ideal place to examine the brood survival in the long-isolated population.

One could see long-term effects of the same sex allele (without the supply of new ones) on the survival and condition of the brood of bees. So, along with the assistant of the

location of apiaries, breeding bees, and how quiet are Ligurian bees.”46 Library holds a collection of 13 photographs of bees, apiary work and honey-making on Kangaroo Island taken between 1950-53 by R. Margaret Arnott-Rogers. Catlg’d under Prg 133847 pasieka.pszczoly.pl/index.php?s=vjufile&grkat=z_pasieka_w_swiat&artplik=2008_03_01_woyke.html48 Waite Agricultural Research Centre. Refer adelaide.edu.au/campuses/waite/

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department, R. Winn, 'I drove by car to Kangaroo Island, conveying across the ferry on the way by the isthmus of kitchen Steps . At that time the island there were 288 registered hives belonging to 13 beekeepers.

Brood survival study, a different set of alleles due to gender (homozygous or heterozygous), conducted in 34 trunks 49 (ie in 12% of the population) are in six apiaries located in various parts of the island. To this end, the mother shut the cap on one patch, and on another search for a place in the middle slice of freshly folded eggs.

Exactly I marked the location of the cells with 200-250 eggs. After 3 days I checked how many larvae survived. Larvae die from various other causes, and not just because some eggs were homozygous, which is wylęgały diploid drones, eaten by the workers. To determine the effect of other factors on the survival of young larvae, artificial unasieniłem [insemination] 16 mothers, each seed only from a drone.

Autor przeprowadza badanie przeżywalności

Prof. Jerzy Woyke examines the survival brood

Nine mothers unasieniłem semen slowly drones flying from the island. In the progeny of these mothers could receive the red, both high and low survival. Seven mothers in Adelaide unasieniłem kraińskich drone semen. Exactly I marked the location of the cells with 200-250 eggs. After 3 days, I checked how many larvae survived. Larvae die from various other causes, and not just because some eggs were homozygous, which is wylęgały diploid drones, eaten by the workers. To determine the effect of other factors on the survival of young larvae, artificial unasieniłem 16 mothers, each seed only from a drone.

Nine mothers unasieniłem semen slowly drones flying from the island. In the progeny of these mothers could receive the red, both high and low survival. Seven mothers in Adelaide unasieniłem kraińskich drone semen from the continent.

Here you can only occur with high brood survival. In total, examined approximately 10 000 eggs, and then checked the survival of hatched larvae. Studies have shown that brood survival ranged from 53% to 98%. Most survival ranged from 70-80%, and the average was 75.6%. Examination of brood survival inseminated mothers showed that 6.5% of the brood were killed during the first 3 days for reasons other than sex alleles. Thus it can be concluded that the average brood survival associated with sex alleles Kangaroo Island was 82.1%. It is generally accepted that in the bee population there are 12 sex alleles. This results in an average brood survival equal to 91.5%.”

49 hives

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1999: “These sites are no longer in use and lapsed leases have not been renewed”A 1999 report 50 by the South Australian Department for Environment, Heritage and Aboriginal Affairs, on wilderness management plans for various areas including Kangaroo Island, states “Since introduction, Ligurian bees have established naturalised colonies throughout the island, principally in or near naturally vegetated sites. Their disease-free status has been protected since 1993 by a Government embargo on all bee goods coming into Kangaroo Island. Historically, several sites within Flinders Chase National Park were utilized as Government bee farms and later were leased to apiarists. These sites are no longer in use and lapsed leases have not been renewed despite the international importance of Ligurian bees and the local demand for sites.” (p.28)

“The naturalisation of bees on the island has had an impact on wildlife. To argue that they compete for a food resource with native animals, including insects, is as yet unproven or at least little understood. However, their preference for establishing colonies in the hollow limbs of aged trees brings them into direct competition with several species and in particular the endangered glossy black cockatoo. For this reason, Kangaroo Island Beekeepers Association is working in conjunction with the Glossy Black Rescue Team in a 10 year project to trap feral bee swarms in nesting areas of the glossy black cockatoo. Efforts should continue to be made to eradicate feral breeding colonies of honey bees and to prevent the establishment of new feral colonies wherever possible.” (p.29)

2007: “the Government Bee Farm did valuable work, Island apiarists are continuing this”From the “Submission from the Kangaroo Island Beekeepers Association to the House of Representatives Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry Committee inquiring into The Future Development of the Australian Honeybee Industry" 51 - “This sanctuary was originally created due to the foresight of early South Australian Parliaments and has been maintained through the efforts of subsequent government authorities, Island beekeepers, and residents and tourists who appreciate the value of conservation of the genetic resource for future generations, both for agriculture and apiarists worldwide. Queen breeding has always been a potential for increased value and the Bee Farm conducted by the South Australian Government did valuable work in encouraging out-breeding to improve the genetic viability. Subsequent Island apiarists are continuing this work.” (p.3)

“The South Australian Government has declared an embargo on all bee goods and second hand bee equipment being brought to the Island, in support of the Ligurian bee sanctuary. However funding has been extremely limited and publication of the embargo and the reasons for enforcing this has been left to the Island beekeepers and other agricultural organizations.” (p.5)

The following quotations were provided in support of the island as a bee sanctuary:

"The pure race of gentle Ligurian honey bees of Kangaroo Island must be preserved and used for research for the benefit of beekeepers throughout the world. The continuing development of agriculture reduces beekeeping opportunities and quiet bees are essential to work with in rapidly changing and reducing areas of natural native vegetation." (Eckert J.R. 1959 The Kangaroo Island Ligurian bees. Gleanings in Bee Culture 86; 660-663, 722-725.)

50 environment.sa.gov.au/parks/pdfs/PARKS_PDFS_KI_MISC_MP.PDF51 aph.gov.au/house/committee/pir/honeybee/subs/sub077.pdf

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"This is a unique sanctuary of pure strain, Apis mellifera ligustica, and these bees are of extraordinary value for scientific research, and for practical beekeeping and no effort must be spared to protect and preserve the world's only remaining and pure strain honey bee colony on Kangaroo Island" (Woyke, J. 1976 Population genetic studies on sex alleles in the honey bee using the example of the Kangaroo Island bee sanctuary. Journal of Apicultural Research 15 (3/4): 105-123)

"They will become of high value for breeding and genetic work and a priceless asset in the international field of apiculture. Thus the act of 1885 was an amazing and wise legislation far ahead of its time and it is only now being recognized in its full meaning and significance." (Ruttner, F. 1976 Isolated populations of honey bees in Australia Journal of Apicultural Research 15 (3/4): 97-104)

The following statement I find simply amazing given it was made 122 years after the establishment of the island as a Ligurian bee sanctuary: “The potential for exports of queen bees from an area certified free of the major bee diseases is immense. Discussions have taken place with United States apiarists and potential markets are being explored. Queen bee breeding as a major apiary resource for Kangaroo Island is still in its infancy and depends upon support for the protection of the Ligurian bee sanctuary and the disease free status.” (p.6)

“Should this bee sanctuary be breached by failure to provide funding for adequate enforcement of quarantine protocols, the genetic heritage is in danger of being lost for all time. This would be a tragedy for the apiary industry worldwide, for agriculture and for conservation of the genetic resource of Apis mellifera ligustica.” (p.8)

2010: Hog Bay ApiaryBetty McAdam of Hog Bay Apiary writes “Ligurian bees thrive in the mild Kangaroo Island climate with ample nectar and pollen sources. 52  A Government queen breeding project known as the Bee Farm commenced operations by hiving 300 colonies from tree hollows and burrows in Flinders Chase National Park. Mating hives were transported to separate areas to ensure an unrelated drone population for mating with the queen. To avoid bees from occupying tree hollows to the exclusion of Australian birds, particularly some rare species existing only on Kangaroo Island, the Island beekeepers are conducting a trapping program to attract and remove swarms from National Parks and other areas. The program is expected to yield valuable data on the fluctuation in population of the naturalized Ligurian bee.

 Beekeepers have also been able to advise on suitable material for artificial nest boxes which will not attract bee swarms. 53 There are specialist queen breeders on Kangaroo Island producing pure mated Ligurian queens for sale in Australia and for export. We breed replacement queens from our top producing hives but in order to maintain genetic diversity we also purchase queens from one of the specialist breeders. Breeding of queen bees for export has been conducted for many years on Kangaroo Island. However Hog Bay Apiary is fully occupied with honey production and we only breed queen bees for our own hives.”

In the End …Despite the sanctuary’s rise and fall in its fortunes the bees remain. Whether the island will ever reach its potential as a high volume producer of Ligurian queen bees depends on the calibre, persistence and entrepreneurial skills of the island’s queen bee breeders.

52 This section captured from http://www.users.on.net/~hogbay/hogbay3.htm53 This section captured from http://www.users.on.net/~hogbay/hogbay12.htm

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iEndnotes Additional sections are as follows:

(12.2) Any inspector or member of the police force—

(a) may go on board and inspect—o any aeroplane, ship, boat or vessel that is about to proceed to Kangaroo Island;o any aeroplane that has landed at Kangaroo Island or any ship, boat or vessel in or near

any harbour of Kangaroo Island; and (b) seize and destroy any bees, or any hive or receptacle for bees, found in the course of the

inspection.

(12.3) No person shall keep or cause to be kept in Kangaroo Island any bees other than pure Ligurian bees. Penalty: $5 000.

(12. 4) An inspector or member of the police force may—

(a) search any vehicle on Kangaroo Island; or (b) enter upon and inspect any land on Kangaroo Island, and seize and destroy any bees that are

not pure Ligurian Bees and any hive or receptacle for such bees.

(12.5) The Governor may by proclamation declare that bees shall not be brought from any specified part of Kangaroo Island into any other part of Kangaroo Island and may by proclamation revoke or vary any such proclamation.

(12.6) No person shall bring any bees or cause any bees to be brought into any part of Kangaroo Island contrary to the provisions of any proclamation made under subsection (5). Penalty: $5 000.

(12.7) If any bees are brought into any part of Kangaroo Island contrary to the provisions of any proclamation made under subsection (5), any inspector or member of the police force may seize and destroy the bees and any hive or receptacle in which the bees may be.