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Thread: Tree bumblebee cannot fly, after a whole day.

  1. #1

    Default Tree bumblebee cannot fly, after a whole day.

    Hi, I would really appreciate any advice if possible.
    I picked up a beautiful, tree bumblebee (bombus hypnorum) queen from the middle of the road about 24 hours ago yesterday evening. She doesn't look ragged and had no obvious injuries.
    She would go between having some sugar water and pumping her abdomen for a short while to just going to sleep, snuggling up against my fingers. Eventually I decided it was probably too late for her to fly anyway and put her in a box (I needed my hand back!).
    So today, she seemed lively for about 10 minutes and then 'slept' again. And she has followed that pattern all day, constantly pumping her abdomen really fast and sometimes opening her wings, but she cannot fly.
    Does anyone know, will she recover? I wondered if I should put her on the ground where she came from and she may make a nest on the ground but these bees nest higher up from what I have read.
    Any advice will be very welcome, thanks in advance.
    Sorry one more question, if I should put her back on the ground, should I keep her for another night to do it in the daytime? 20190716_134213.jpg
    I put sugar water in the channels between my fingers.
    Last edited by SueJ; 16-07-2019 at 05:16 PM. Reason: Slight addition to explain photo.

  2. #2

    Default

    Hi Sue,

    You're certainly a dedicated bumblebee carer. It might be that your bee quite likes the attention and sugar water on tap and isnt in any rush to leave! Best thing to do is put her out in a sunny location maybe on or near some flowers and let her take off in her own time.
    Best of luck
    SB

  3. #3
    Senior Member Mellifera Crofter's Avatar
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    Default

    That’s a lovely bumble bee.

    Perhaps the Bumblebee Conservation Trust can give advice. They’ve been helpful to me when I asked for advice about moving a bumble bee nest.

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