Trying to save a bumblebee - please advise?

[Carly81]

Hi all, I'm not a bee keeper, on purpose(!) but I found what I think is a buff tailed bumblebee queen, & I need advice please.

It was walking about on stones in the garden, barely moving, it couldn't fly and I tried leading it to holes in the soil but it wasn't interested, so as it was getting dark I took it and put it in a ventilated tub with some straw & moss & dirt, planning on releasing it the next day. I have a bottle of bee revival syrup but it didn't want any at that point.

The next day it was moving more, and I offered it syrup but it wasn't interested yet, I took it outside as it was sunny but it still wasn't going anywhere. There are no flowers in the garden but some under 10 minutes away so I picked some to bring back & it was interested in them. It was trying to fly but couldn't get airborne. I ended up taking it back in eventually as didn't want to leave it when it couldn't fly & there's no flowers nearby to walk to & I wanted to release it close to where it was. It has had more flowers and has ate syrup since then, and again whenever there's sun in the afternoon when it's warmer I took it outside, but even when I put it on the ground or grass it tries to fly but can't get flight. It's wings look fine, & there are some mites on it's body but don't look like hundreds or enough to weight it down, so I don't know if it's just been the weather isn't suitable to fly. It seems OK otherwise, it was interested in the flowers, moving faster, washing itself, drinking water, & sleeping a lot too. It seems it's been too weak the first warm day to fly, and though it's taken syrup since the weather has been cloudy, or if there's sun it's still been colder or today was windy, that's 3 days now.

I'm worried as we have snow warnings on the way, I don't know whether it's best to just let it walk off when it could be too cold/maybe die (temperatures could get to -15!) or basically keep it until the weather is warmer again and release it then? Basically I don't want to leave it to die, or annoy it by keeping it. Can anyone advise please?

 

[Sutty]

Good of you to care!
If it's a queen it should be hibernating. Perhaps it picked somewhere that got warmed too easily & emerged prematurely.
My best bet, though I'm no expert on bumbles, would be to leave it in a box (with some straw or similar) in a shaded area, but with enough insulation over it that it's unlikely to freeze solid. Open an entrance once it's had time to chill & leave undisturbed until the weather warms up.

 

[ericbeaumont]

a buff tailed bumblebee queen, & I need advice

Nicw work, Carly.

Check out the info. on the Bumblebee Conservation Trust page Winter active bumblebees, and on that page What to do if you find a bumblebee during winter or in bad weather. There's even a video of buff-tailed bumbles.

 

[Carly81]

Thank you for your responses. When mentioning insulating a box, what is best to use? I have it in a plastic tub with clingfilm with holes, but it's not great at climbing up it. A showbiz would get wet. Appreciate any advice on this. Also, I know it says 'bad weather' on that site & video mentions being OK at 0 temperatures, but what about minus temperatures? And is it ok to let it out if it can't fly?

 

[Ian123]

And is it ok to let it out if it can't fly?

No……… You’ve fed her and warmed her unfortunately she appears damaged and will die when you release her. Sorry just reality!

 

[Sutty]

It's all a bit of a guess from afar. I'd put some straw or dead leaves in there so it can get a grip on stuff. Make sure there are drainage holes in the bottom, make a hole in the end at straw level for it to get out, initially bunged up with a plug of straw/paper towel from the outside. Put a lid on, place outside in a sheltered corner & cover with straw/soil etc, leaving access to the entrance hole. Let it cool for a few hours & remove the plug.
Leave alone until May. It may survive and leave, or you may find a dead bee.
In the warm it will be using up its body stores even if you are trying to feed it.

 

[Carly81]

Thanks again for the replies. It seems the advice is put her outside rather than keep her until the weather is better, even if it's too cold for her to fly...

If this is the case, thank you for advice for outside...I have 2 sizes of tubs, she's currently in a larger one so if I put that outside it'd be hard to cover with soil, but the smaller tub is quite small (think takeaway size) - which would be best? Alternatively if there's any bee houses someone could recommend I could buy that. I'm still concerned it's meant to snow from tomorrow so still unsure if should keep her until next week incase the temperatures from into the minus, but if you all still think it's best to put her outside, any further advice on the best box would be appreciated!

 

[Sutty]

Small box, matchbox size would do.
Getting her back to hibernation is the only chance of survival. Only a small chance but getting worse the longer she is warm.

 

[Carly81]

Thank you, I don't have a tiny tub. Is a plastic tub suitable? I have an upturned plant pot also, but no tubing to make nest like I've saw online. If the takeaway plastic tub is better, I should drill or knife drainage holes in the bottom, and drill a hole on the side big enough for it to get out, does that sound best? Or should I go buy tubing to use a half buried plant pot? I'll do my best with her! I had thought I'd need to keep her until weather was better then release her. Appreciate the advice given

 

[Sutty]

Plastic tub ok, just drainage and entrance & fill most of the space.
Do it soon!

 

[Carly81]

It's done, but I don't see it staying there, it kept pushing out the plug so I put earth and stones plugging it. I expect when I remove that it'll just walk right out. At least I've offered it a home if it wants to return.. I had wondered if I should have taken it to the park 15 mins away as there's flowers and holes there. But if you think I should leave it if it leaves its nest in my garden to at least have a choice to go back to it, then I'll do that.

 

[Sutty]

Hopefully it will hibernate as it chills down
It's chances of survival are pretty slim but you never know.
Remove the plug in the morning and keep your fingers crossed.

 

[blackcloud]

You've done what you can
Let nature decide
Don't invest emotion

 

[Carly81]

Thanks folks. I managed to use a plastic plant pot which I drilled a hole in the side into for the plug, placed upside down into soil I'd dug up to the opening, used straw and moss, put the bee in, then more straw inside the plant pot. I left about a centimeter from the top as didn't want to pack it too tight, I hope that's OK. I checked on it an hour later and plugging it with mud and a stone seemed to have worked, as it was still there, but slow, so I hope it was just sleeping and not suffocating. I covered it again and left it 'unplugged', but it didn't try to come out. So I continued packing it with soil, straw and grass to cover/disguise the plant pot. To cover the holes at the top of the plant pot, I used a larger ceramic plant saucer as the 'lid', then put a heavy stone on top to try to deter any cats/birds getting at it. I covered it with more grass. Hopefully all of that sounds suitable, if I should adjust anything please let me know. I left it unplugged as it hadn't came out in all that time, but again if I should plug it up until morning, please let me know. It's bee-n great to get advice from this forum!

 

[Sutty]

Just leave it alone now.
You've tried your best, time will tell.

Next you could think about learning to keep honeybees!

 

[Carly81]

Actually I left it unplugged also as I'd then added the ceramic lid which covered the holes at the top, so the unplugged hole is now it's only ventilation. Since it seems to be staying there, we've collectively gave it the best chance, so thank you very much!

I don't know about beekeeping, I actually have a bit of a fear after being stung more than once when I was young, so I think that'd be a step too far! It was giving me the fear whenever this bumblebee was giving me the middle finger (leg), & I'm hoping it doesn't remember my face as the annoying giant if it does survive & stay in my garden! Thanks again!

 

[Sutty]

If you do end up with a nest in your garden from this or another queen just let them get on with it - bumbles are very benign & it'll probably be gone by the end of August.
I got 9-12 wasp stings simultaneously at about the age of 6 & last summer had 10 hives of honeybees - so you can get over it!
A visit to a beekeeper fully kitted up might help.

 

[Carly81]

Yeah, I'll check in May to see if it's there. And leave any bee!

That must've been scary as a child! We might be getting bee hives in work at some point for the roof, and it will be partly my project as I work in sustainability, so I might end up with hives in one way or another! Good to know you can get over the fear! ☺