A native bee species known as Douglas' broad-headed bee has been rediscovered in Perth's northern suburbs.

It had been presumed extinct, with the last known record of the species being a male collected on Rottnest Island 80 years ago.

The female Hesperocolletes douglasi was found by University of Western Australia’s School of Biological Sciences and CSIRO's Juliana Pille Arnold, a PhD student.

The Hesperocolletes douglasi bee was thought to be extinct. Credit:University of WA

Ms Pille Arnold said the rediscovery highlighted the challenges around conservation of bees and other insect pollinators under threat from land clearing and urban development.