Bumble bees are among the most captivating flying insects, yet we must ask whether we should feed them or not.
As long as bumblebees appear restful and tired, it’s best to leave them alone unless it appears restless and resting. This is particularly true during early spring when queen bees begin their preparations for winter by feeding on high nectar/pollen plants.
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White sugar
Sugar contains no essential nutrients for bees and should only ever be seen as junk food. While people may use it to provide energy boost for tired bees, its results can be catastrophic: nectar-rich flowers could be bypassed leading to starvation and death of bees consuming it instead. It may also dehydrate them. Ideally it would be best avoided, although if you find an exhausted bee that cannot fly try giving sugar water as reviver to revive it.
To create the solution, boil some water and combine it with some granulated white sugar until most of it has dissolved. Place this solution on a spoon near an exhausted bee, hoping that he or she may reach it and drink from its reservoir with its proboscis before returning to flight soon after. If it doesn’t respond, however, leave it alone as it could be dying and consider leaving this step for later.
Water
Bumblebees are notoriously thirsty insects and can often be seen clinging to flowers as though dying. While it might be tempting to give one some sugar water in order to revive him or her, this is not recommended as this could put more bees at risk of dying than needed.
Because it will likely just give them a sugar high, and not help them regain their natural foraging habits, nectar and pollen should provide essential nutrition for health and wellbeing.
If you notice a bumblebee appearing exhausted, water may help revive it. One effective method of doing this is creating a “bee bar,” a shallow container with pebbles or decorative stones on which they can stand and drink from. Furthermore, make sure the water supplied remains clean and is replenished regularly to keep their energy up.
Honey
Bumblebees rely heavily on nectar for energy, providing the means necessary for them to fly and pollinate flowers. Furthermore, they use special baskets on their hind legs to collect pollen from flowers before transporting it back to their colonies and feeding the developing larvae with this vital nutrition source.
As much as it might be tempting, it is crucial that we refrain from feeding honey to bumblebees as this could prove fatal. Honey from other countries often contains deadly diseases like American Foul Brood disease which could spread throughout British bee populations.
Instead, we should always offer sugar water, made by mixing equal parts of white granulated sugar and water into a solution. A small amount is sufficient to revitalize tired bumblebees and provide them with energy needed to find another flower to visit. Unprocessed organic granulated sugar is most suitable; brown or demerara sugar could even pose health hazards!
Beeswax
Bees specialize in collecting and storing nectar. When returning to her hive, the bee will have some highly concentrated liquid to share.
Bees use nectar from flowers in their hives to form cells which compose the distinctive hexagonal honeycomb pattern, then fill each one with honey before sealing them with wax as protection from moisture loss. Beeswax is an organic compound consisting of various compounds including fatty acids, esters, long-chain alcohols and dioxane; it’s also highly flammable – often making an appearance in candles!
If you come across a bumblebee with an empty abdomen, offer her some sugary syrup as a one-off boost of energy to get back in flight. If possible, move her gently towards flowers such as buddleias, sunflowers, or knapweeds; otherwise use a sugar water recipe similar to what beekeepers typically employ – using water with equal parts dry granulated sugar in equal proportion.
