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Douglas's Broad-headed Bee (Hesperocolletes douglasi)

Douglas's Broad-headed Bee (Hesperocolletes douglasi) is a solitary native bee (Colletidae), listed for the Swan region of Western Australia. It is known from Rottnest Island, where a single male was collected in 1938, and Banksia woodland in Gnangara State Forest north of Perth, where a female was collected from Philotheca spicata flowers in October 2015. It is Critically Endangered under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (WA), Fauna Order 2025(2) in operation from 1 August 2026, and Critically Endangered under the EPBC Act.

Conservation status

Western Australia, Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016: Critically endangered.

Commonwealth, EPBC Act 1999: Critically endangered.

Seasonal planning

No species-specific activity or breeding months are recorded. Use the following as a works-planning prompt, not as a statement of seasonal biology.

Seasonal knowledge: Unknown for this species.

The month values are a general planning prompt only and do not represent known activity or breeding months for Hesperocolletes douglasi.

  • Plan checks before disturbance: General planning window only. Check the work area before disturbance whenever works are scheduled; no species-specific seasonal window is known.

Identification: Appearance

Douglas's Broad-headed Bee is a solitary native bee (Colletidae). Reliable identification needs a specialist.

A species-specific field description is not summarised here. Use the original description and museum specimens for identification.

Identification: Similar species

Related species in the same genus or group can look alike and may occur nearby. Confirm identity with a taxonomist before relying on a record.

Distribution: Known records

Listed for the Swan region. Known from Rottnest Island, where a single male was collected in 1938, and Banksia woodland in Gnangara State Forest north of Perth, where a female was collected from Philotheca spicata flowers in October 2015.

The Atlas of Living Australia holds 3 records at 3 distinct 0.1-degree locations, between latitude -32.0 and -31.6, longitude 115.5 to 115.8. Coordinates are often generalised for listed species, so treat this as an indicative area, not a boundary.

Distribution: Group pattern

This native bee is known from very few sites in the south-west, and little is known of its biology. Specialist examination under a microscope is needed to separate listed bees from similar species.

Distribution: WA listing

DBCA lists the species for the Swan region.

Habitat: Habitat

Native vegetation with its food plants and bare or sandy ground for nesting at its known sites.

Native vegetation with its food plants and bare or sandy ground for nesting at its known sites.

Species-specific habitat preferences have not been published in detail; this is based on the group and the listed locality.

Habitat: Site interpretation

Treat matching habitat in or near the listed locality as potentially occupied until a qualified survey shows otherwise.

Foraging habitat: Diet

Pollen and nectar. Food plants are described in the Commonwealth species profile where known.

Pollen and nectar. Food plants are described in the Commonwealth species profile where known.

Breeding habitat: Breeding

Not documented for this species. Survey timing is usually matched to flowering of associated plants.

Not documented for this species. Survey timing is usually matched to flowering of associated plants.

Sheltering habitat: Shelter

Not documented.

Not documented.

Threats: Threats

Clearing and fragmentation of remnant native vegetation, particularly Banksia woodland near Perth.

Clearing and fragmentation of remnant native vegetation, particularly Banksia woodland near Perth.

Threats: Works risk

Clearing of remnant native vegetation and its flowering plants.

Survey methodology: 1. Desktop review and design

Follow the EPA Western Australia technical guidance and engage specialists with the right licences.

Use the EPA Western Australia guidance on short range endemic invertebrates: desktop review of museum and survey records, targeted habitat searches, and collection or photography under the right licence.

Survey methodology: 2. Field survey

Search the habitat named in this profile by hand (litter, logs, rocks, burrows or host plants), and repeat after rain or in the cooler months when many short range invertebrates are active.

Survey methodology: 3. Identification and limits

Identification often needs a specialist taxonomist and voucher specimens. A non-detection is not proof of absence.

Vegetation associations

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

No species-specific vegetation association has been indexed or source-checked in this evidence library. This is an evidence gap, not evidence of no association.

Ecosystem associations

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

No species-specific ecosystem association has been indexed or source-checked in this evidence library. This is an evidence gap, not evidence of no association.

Soil and substrate associations: Sandy soils or sand

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

Native vegetation with its food plants and bare or sandy ground for nesting at its known sites.

Automatically indexed from existing profile text. Not a verified preference, mapped occurrence or habitat requirement. Check the original source and regional qualifiers before use.

Evidence: Unreviewed profile-derived candidate

Confidence: Not independently verified

Region: Scope as described in the quoted profile text; not independently verified. Profile states: WA.

Habitat use: general

Water and wetland associations

Source-checked associations and automatically indexed candidates are separated below. An association does not establish site presence, preference or dependence.

No species-specific water association has been indexed or source-checked in this evidence library. This is an evidence gap, not evidence of no association.

Fauna records and mapped habitat: Not yet analysed

Record locations can be overlaid with mapping, but record frequency alone does not measure habitat preference. No species is excluded from desktop assessments by this analysis.

No quality-controlled record-to-map analysis has been completed for this species. The existing generalised distribution dots and indicative range polygons have not been treated as precise occurrence coordinates.

A defensible run needs dated, independently attributable records, coordinate uncertainty, duplicate and captive-record checks, layer versions and regional scope. Preference and absence require additional survey-effort and detection evidence.

Habitat limitations and contrary evidence: No supported exclusion recorded

Not recorded is not the same as cannot occur. Low suitability, resident habitat, breeding habitat and occasional movement are different conclusions.

This library has not established a vegetation, ecosystem or soil-type exclusion for this species. This does not mean all habitat is suitable; the evidence needed to justify an exclusion has not been assembled.

Habitat limitations and contrary evidence: Before using a negative association

  • Confirm the taxon, geographic region, life stage and habitat function covered by the evidence.
  • Check survey methods, season, repeated effort and detectability before interpreting non-detection.
  • Investigate credible contradictory records and microhabitats absent from broad mapping.
  • Do not convert a missing map class, low record count or failed data request into species absence.

Before disturbance: 1. Pre-start review

Confirm whether the project could affect the species before any works begin.

Check the project footprint against the listed locality, DBCA records and any survey results. Map habitat that matches this profile.

Before disturbance: 2. Approvals

Taking or disturbing listed threatened fauna in WA needs authorisation under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016. Seek DBCA advice early. Actions likely to have a significant impact also need EPBC Act referral.

Before disturbance: 3. Crew briefing

Brief crews on the habitat to avoid, the exclusion areas and who to call if the species or its habitat is found.

During disturbance: 1. Protect habitat

Keep works inside the approved footprint.

Clearing of remnant native vegetation and its flowering plants. Fence or flag known habitat and keep vehicles, stockpiles and spoil out of it.

During disturbance: 2. Stop and report

If the species or suspected habitat is found outside the approved area, stop work at that spot and contact the project ecologist and DBCA.

After disturbance: 1. Record outcomes

Record what was done.

Record any sightings, specimens, habitat lost or retained and any incidents, and submit records to DBCA as required by the authorisation.

Rehabilitation: 1. Restore

Restore disturbed areas where possible.

Return surface materials, logs, rocks and litter, restore drainage and revegetate with local species. Use hygiene controls for dieback in the south-west.

Sources