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Big Bumble Bee

sandbevsandbev Posts: 6
in Wildlife gardening
Hi

Yesterday, because it was fine and dry I started to clear away last years dead plants/flowers, as I made a big patch of my garden a wild flower garden for a change and if I'm honest to stop me from keep digging it over and weeding it every couple of months. 

So Yesterday as I pulled something up from the ground I unintentionally disturbed a large bubble bee, she/he was not happy and kept standing on its hind legs waving its front legs in the air, but made no attempt to fly away. I left it alone for hours sitting on the rockery but it was still sitting there as night fell (as I kept checking on it) and thought it was probably too cold for it to survive the night just sitting there, so made the decision to put it into an old sandwich box with holes in the lid, put abit of honey in the sandwich box with it ( it was honey from a bee hive that my friend owns, it wasn't shop brought) and I checked this morning and its still ok, I've put the sandwich box under the stairs where its dark and quiet.

Can anyone advise me please what to do ?  Release it or is it too cold ? Leave it under the stairs ? Put some foliage in the box with it ?  I have no idea but seeing as I disturbed it, would like to try my best for it.

Kind Regards Bev

Posts

  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 9,594
    Queen bumble bees are out and about much earlier in the year than this, so I think she'll be fine left to her own devices outside.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,391
    Yes, put back outside, near where you found her, asap.  You might like to try giving her some sugar-water to give her some energy:

    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • sandbevsandbev Posts: 6
    Thank you both for your comments and help, I put her back on the soil where I was digging earlier on, I kept checking on her and eventually she disappeared, so must have flown away.
    Bev
  • annfarrar52bcuUxY0vannfarrar52bcuUxY0v Posts: 1
    I saw what was possibly a Queen Bumble Bee hovering low when I was dead heading yesterday. I have see previously One who entered the Composter bin through a gap in the slide opening, I've cleared access to it but she flew away, is she looking for a nesting site maybe?
  • Bright starBright star Posts: 1,153
    It could also have been a pregnant bumble bee, they lay their eggs underground. 
    Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.

  • CrazybeeladyCrazybeelady Posts: 751
    It is the queens that are about currently, they are looking for nesting sites, and food of course.
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