18.05.2014 I learned yesterday that when you see a bee on the ground that isn’t moving, it’s not necessarily dead, it’s probably just dead tired from carrying lots of pollen and needs re-energising. So if you mix a tiny bit of water with some sugar and let it drink it will give it the boost it needs to continue on its way. Bizarrely, this exact thing happened today! I found a knackered bee, mixed up some sugar water, gave it a drink and watched it guzzle and guzzle then suddenly come back to life. It was amazing! Thank you patrick, it was an excellent tip that i’ll never forget and will continue to pass on to others!
we need every single bee on earth
please do this
This gives me hope.
This is also why sometimes, if a bee lands on you, and then refuses to get off, especially in wide, flowerless expanses like parking lots, it might be that they were hoping your colorful shirt was a little flower oasis for them to recharge. So if a bee ever lands on you and clings to you, it’s probably not trying to sting you, and you should bring it to the next patch of flowers you can find.
Also, if you see a particularly large bumblebee in the really early months of spring, it’s more than likely a queen who attempted to scout out a hive prematurely and who grew too cold to continue flying. If possible, you should set those bees in a safe place with a little bit of sugar water, until they warm up enough to fly. In doing so, you’ll not only be saving a single bee, but a potential whole colony.
Save the bees
