Sheffield bumble bees dropping like flies?

[Isabelle]

I keep finding live bumblebees on the pavement, so I pick them up gently with a piece of paper and put them somewhere where they won't get stood on, poor things. They're lovely creatures.

[petcharlie]

I've had loads of bees in the garden on plants but also seen many dead - even found some in the house.

I even rescued one from inside the toilet cistern yesterday !

I was sat on the loo, quietly minding my own business, when I heard it. Searched all over before I located the little buzzer ! It flew off quite happily when it was put outside.

 

Is that true you were minding your own business.

[Anna B]

Apparently it's something to do with the season, the spring flowers are on their way out and the summer flowers are not yet in full bloom, so there's something of a shortage for bees who have to fly further to find pollen so they're exhausted.

 

You can revive them with a teaspoon of sugar water (2 parts sugar to 1 part water.) They'll drink it from the spoon. It takes about 10 minutes for them to come round and then they'll fly away happy.

[birobasher]

Rescuing a bee is something I never thought was an option. Thanks to posters in this thread for raising this as a possibility.

 

I've found these, but they're not cheap.

 

http://www.beestation.com/about.html

 

I wonder if anyone has any ideas for a make your own bee station?

 

have a look here: ideas for making gardens bee friendly, plus environments where they can nest:

 

http://bumblebeeconservation.org/about-us/

Edited July 10, 2016 by birobasher

[hansdonlika]

very strange you should mention that

[mad-dad]

Spent most of today mooching around in the garden and saw many types of bee. Noticed also that several flowers that rely on insect pollination have developed seed pods so good news for the bee.

 

Bad news is that in a garden that has butterfly attracting plants as well as areas of native 'weeds' in full flower including nettles (for egg laying), I saw only two butterflies - one cabbage white and a dark brown one I couldn't identify.

 

Gardens to both sides of mine have no flowering plants in at all. Just lawn one side and overgrown grass and piles of rubbish the other. My patch should be a haven for butterflies, but sadly not.

 

Hoverflies are in abundance also.

[cookingfat50]

We have had bumble bees in our small hedge in Chesterfield for years they stay around for months but this year they have nearly all gone Dmaybe it's the weather conditions but I miss seeing them around maybe I should leave some sugared water or jam for them a mystery Steve x

[scart]

It's electromagnetic radiation caused by mobile phone towers and the like. It messes up their navigation, leads to the hives failing....less bees.