A rare species of bee, which only lives in a handful of places nationwide, has been discovered in Warwickshire.

Colletes cunicularius, also known as the Spring Plasterer Bee, was spotted at Ryton Pools Country Park by Warwickshire country parks ranger George Humphrey.

It was discovered during a regular survey of the area, with a single male discovered in early mark.

The rangers have since found a "healthy population" of bees in the same area.

George said: "The discovery of Colletes cunicularius at Ryton Pools was a wonderful and unexpected start to the 2023 bee recording season.

"The park is one of the few places in Warwickshire with suitable conditions for this bee, which highlights the importance of preserving the unique habitats in all of Warwickshire's country parks and green spaces.

"I am proud to be part of a team working to ensure our park's ecosystems continue to support a range of species, including the Spring Plasterer Bee."

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The Spring Plasterer Bee is a solitary, early-spring bee species that typically nests in very sandy soil, feeding predominantly on sallow blossoms.

It has a distinctive fluffy face, and its nesting behaviour involves digging tunnels in the ground, which they line with a cellophane-like material. Like many bee species, the Spring Plasterer Bee is known to be an important pollinator of a range of plants, including fruit trees and wildflowers.

The already relatively small population of this species declined heavily during the twentieth century, to the point that it was known to exist at just a few sites on the northwest coasts of England and Wales. Since 2010, populations have steadily recovered and begun expanding southwards and inland to new areas.

2021 was the first full year of bumblebee transects (or 'BeeWalks') at Ryton Pools Country Park. In a transect, a recorder walks along the same fixed path regularly, counting bees along the way and making a note of their species.