Half of people cannot name a single species of bee even though the vast majority care about the country’s bees, a new poll suggests.

The survey, which comes as Royal Mail launches a new set of stamps celebrating British bees, found that although many people recognise the value and importance of the pollinators, few know much about the insects.

More than half (53%) could not name a single type of bee, and only a tiny proportion (3%) of more than 2,000 people polled by Opinion Matters for Royal Mail knew there were around 250 different species of bee in the UK.

The set of 10 stamps feature illustrated images of six bee species from across the UK and the miniature sheet includes four stamps which chart the life and role of the honeybee.

All stamped UK mail from 18 to 25 August will feature a special postmark to highlight the collection.

Royal Mail worked with Simon Potts, professor of biodiversity and ecosystem services at Reading University, to produce the stamps, which go on sale on Tuesday.

He said: “Scientists are learning more and more about the complex biology of bees, and this beautiful series of stamps captures the amazing diversity of bees and their lifestyles in the UK.

“It’s a chance for us to keep learning about the unique wildlife that surrounds us.”