It was out on the drive, kind of flailing about, mostly on its back. So I mixed up a tiny amount of sugar water and dribbled it around. I could see it feeding with its proboscis. Lifted it up to my hand and dribble another drop for it to feed. Amazing to watch it slowly test out its wings, crawl about a bit more, test its wings again and crawl further, till it flew away. My good deed for the day and I feel blimmin wonderful!
sanremo,
Jun 15, 1:09pm
I did that with a bumblebee once. Strangely enough it seemed to prefer raspberry jam over manuka honey.
lythande1,
Jun 15, 2:06pm
Yep, that helps them recover. If they can, sadly sometimes they are at the end, they work themselves to death, literally.
starseeker,
Jun 15, 7:13pm
I did the same with a Monarch butterfly today. Not many flowers with nectar around at the moment. Also, so many sections in town don't even have flowers in them, even in spring & summer, just grass & maybe pebbles or rocks. We are slowly choking out our wild life - where have all the birds & insects gone? And our gardens are so often colourless.
hazelnut2,
Jun 16, 10:56am
I found a badly ailing bee and put it on a dish with a drop of honey. Within five minutes the bee perked up dramatically!
hazelnut2,
Jun 16, 10:58am
Yup. 'tis a great feeling! I often think I should have a small portion of honey in my handbag, as I sometimes find exhausted bees on the tennis courts when I play.
quane1,
Jun 16, 12:05pm
Maybe the bees should find a less strenuous sport.
flier3,
Jun 16, 12:16pm
lol, quane. Actually, I think giving bees honey wasn't a good thing for them and that sugar water is a better option. Just sayin.
smallwoods,
Jun 16, 1:19pm
Bees wings are built to beat so many times and that's the end of their run. can't recall the exact amount, but will dig it up.
omamari,
Jun 16, 4:32pm
Average life span 2 months
hazelnut2,
Oct 29, 11:11pm
There would be no nutrition in sugar water. just empty calories:
From a website:
In short, honey bees make honey as a way of storing food to eat over the cooler winter period, when they are unable to forage and there are fewer flowers from which to gather food. Honey is ideal for bees - it is full of nutrients and is a great energy food, because it is high in sugars.
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