Advice on how to overwinter a bee - yes, just the one!

Well done. How lovely that you cared for the bee.

You've given the bee a new lease of life. It must have just been tired and in need of sustenance. If it's a queen it may find somewhere to nest over the winter.

What a lovely story, well done you 🐝 👏🏻👏🏻

Its not it’s 🙄

Well, just now I lifted the cover off the ‘nest’ on the kitchen worktop and the bee suddenly took off! It happened so quickly that we didn’t see where it went, so I’ve now got my ears constantly pricked to listen out for it! It’s recovery is miraculous!

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202411/medium-63276-img-9027.png https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202411/medium-321212-img-9026.png

Here are a couple of photos showing its tail end a bit more clearly. I brought the bee back indoors and it’s been drinking more honey water and has rallied a little. Thank you all for your help.

Whitewavemark2

Oreo

Whitewavemark2

He will almost certainly die, along with all his brothers before the winter is finished. He has done his job of supplying the Queen with her sustenance for surviving the winter and onto laying next years young.

such is the life of a worker bee😧

It’s a bumble bee, so no hive or worker.They live solitary lives usually in holes in gardens.

Some do some don’t. It depends on your bee.

Buff tails will work all year, others give up the ghost at the beginning of winter. Some live solitary lives others support a Queen and her offspring.

We can't see its tail end very well, I could be a buff tail or white tail, can't tell.

The Queen once full of pollen provided by her workers will hibernate.

As an aside my garden still has a lot of salvia in flower and busy with bees ( I haven’t investigated which species) every day.

😄😄 I very much doubt that!

Oh, I hadn't seen Wwmk2's post. She knows more than I do 😀

Even some 'wild' bees live in small colonies. They're not all solitary.

Honey bees only live for about 6 weeks, I don't know about wild ones but I suspect they are similar. So, as others have said, it's likely to die soonish.

Oreo

Whitewavemark2

He will almost certainly die, along with all his brothers before the winter is finished. He has done his job of supplying the Queen with her sustenance for surviving the winter and onto laying next years young.

such is the life of a worker bee😧

It’s a bumble bee, so no hive or worker.They live solitary lives usually in holes in gardens.

Some do some don’t. It depends on your bee.

Buff tails will work all year, others give up the ghost at the beginning of winter. Some live solitary lives others support a Queen and her offspring.

I had quite a few big Bumble Bees under the gutter space by my Sun Lounge.
I too was concerned about them.
My cousin who is a Bee Keeper I contacted, told me not to worry about them as they tend to die in winter.. Shame.

Whitewavemark2

He will almost certainly die, along with all his brothers before the winter is finished. He has done his job of supplying the Queen with her sustenance for surviving the winter and onto laying next years young.

such is the life of a worker bee😧

It’s a bumble bee, so no hive or worker.They live solitary lives usually in holes in gardens.

He will almost certainly die, along with all his brothers before the winter is finished. He has done his job of supplying the Queen with her sustenance for surviving the winter and onto laying next years young.

such is the life of a worker bee😧

I would leave it in the cup outside with some honey water. It may just need a rest or it could be at the end of it's life.

Just found this on Google

What to do with a bumble bee in winter?
I've found a stranded bumblebee in bad weather, how can I ...
If you find a bumblebee in bad weather, please do not take it into your home. Bumblebees need to be outside to feed, nest, and mate successfully. They may already have a nest which they are gathering food for, without the adult bumblebees the eggs and larvae will die.

They live in rotted trees or even in holes they make underground.

I wondered about that, too, Septimia. This is a proper cuddly bee!

I'm not sure that Beekeeper's Association members would be much help. They look after honey bees which live in large colonies in hives. Honey bees are slimmer and don't look at all like this one.

This is a variety of bumble bee which lives a totally different life. It might sometimes gather in small groups with other bumble bees but they are usually solitary.

Most beekeepers wouldn't have a clue!

Unless it's a queen bee, it has probably reached the end of its lifespan.
Sorry

Good idea about the BKA. Thanks!

I suggest you try your local Beekeeper’s Association for advice. Sadly male bees or drones don’t live very long and it maybe that it’s come to the end of its lifespan.

I suggest you contact your nearest Bee Keeper Association, you can Google this for a contact near you, they are the best people to advise.

Thank you for responding, astitchintime. I have great faith in the knowledge of GNs, so I’m sure someone will come up with the answer!