Rare zebra-striped bee sighting in West Country a 'huge surprise'
BBC News reports on an unexpected event: the discovery of a rare zebra-striped bee in the West Country.
A tiny zebra-striped bee, usually confined to England's south and east coasts, has made an unusual journey to Somerset. This sighting was documented by naturalist Nigel Phillips, who expressed his surprise at the find.
The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT) attributes this development to the restoration of saltmarsh habitats at Steart Marshes, providing an ideal home for the bee. The bee relies on the sea aster flower, which thrives in these restored coastal marshes.
"There were lots of them and several colonial nest areas," Phillips remarked, highlighting the abundance and organization of the bee colonies.
The Steart Marshes project, completed in 2014, transformed former farmland into a vibrant coastal wetland, benefiting various wildlife, including the sea aster mining bee.
"People usually associate saltmarshes with huge flocks of wading birds... but there is so much life here that goes unnoticed," said Bay Alys Laver, site manager at Steart Marshes.
This discovery underscores the importance of saltmarsh conservation, as these habitats are home to 148 species unique to the UK.
- For more local news, explore BBC Somerset.
- Discover more about the bee's habitat and the conservation efforts at Steart Marshes.