mouse_chalk
Well-Known Member
I went into the kitchen this morning to clear it up, and opened the window. As I went for the latch, I noticed a huge bumblebee sat on the window frame, very still. I carefully opened the window anyway, thinking that it would fly out, but it didn't.
Whilst I was washing up I kept an eye on it, but she didn't move the whole time. I eventually blew on her gently, and she tumbled off the window frame and laid down on the window ledge
Now, I'm not normally one to bother about insects, but I think bumblebees are cute, in a strange sort of way, and this one was SO big, that it seemed a real shame if it was to die on my kitchen window ledge.
So, I quickly ran to my laptop and Googled sick bumblebees and how to help them. I read that sometimes they forget to or can't drink and get sick, or get cold, etc. Being that it had probably been stuck in my kitchen overnight, I figured it was probably thirsty, so I mixed some honey with some water like the website said. I put it in a plastic medicine spoon near the bee, and tipped some onto the window ledge for her to get at easily.
It worked!! She got up and started drinking the water- I've never seen a bee's tongue before, but I did today! Then she slept a little more, and then got up again, drank some more, climbed into the spoon to drink, and then all of a sudden she got up and flew away out the window! I was so happy! I did some more googling and going by her size she was probably a Queen bee, definitely female because I studied her legs and she had the 'pollen baskets'
Pics of a bee! They came out a little blurry because it was just about to rain and really, really poor light in my kitchen and I didn't want to use the flash and scare her:
Climbing out of the spoon, having got some energy back!
It sounds like a small thing, but I was so happy that the poorly bee got better and flew off!
Whilst I was washing up I kept an eye on it, but she didn't move the whole time. I eventually blew on her gently, and she tumbled off the window frame and laid down on the window ledge
Now, I'm not normally one to bother about insects, but I think bumblebees are cute, in a strange sort of way, and this one was SO big, that it seemed a real shame if it was to die on my kitchen window ledge.So, I quickly ran to my laptop and Googled sick bumblebees and how to help them. I read that sometimes they forget to or can't drink and get sick, or get cold, etc. Being that it had probably been stuck in my kitchen overnight, I figured it was probably thirsty, so I mixed some honey with some water like the website said. I put it in a plastic medicine spoon near the bee, and tipped some onto the window ledge for her to get at easily.
It worked!! She got up and started drinking the water- I've never seen a bee's tongue before, but I did today! Then she slept a little more, and then got up again, drank some more, climbed into the spoon to drink, and then all of a sudden she got up and flew away out the window! I was so happy! I did some more googling and going by her size she was probably a Queen bee, definitely female because I studied her legs and she had the 'pollen baskets'
Pics of a bee! They came out a little blurry because it was just about to rain and really, really poor light in my kitchen and I didn't want to use the flash and scare her:
Climbing out of the spoon, having got some energy back!
It sounds like a small thing, but I was so happy that the poorly bee got better and flew off!
