The simple answer is only as a last resort, when there are no bee-friendly flowers around and when you are certain the bee is not just resting. There are a few things to consider before making an informed decision about whether or not a bumblebee really is in need of rescue...

A bumblebee's diet

First and foremost a bumblebee’s diet is made up of pollen and nectar from flowers, so the best way to help bumblebees and other pollinating insects is to grow plenty of bee-friendly flowers, especially during bumblebee season (between March and October). Pollen and nectar contain all of the essential nutrients bumblebees need, as well as providing protein for growth and carbohydrates for energy.

Is the bumblebee stranded or just resting?

If you find a bumblebee which appears to be struggling, it may be that it is just resting, particularly if the bee is a queen in early spring. Recent research from Queen Mary University of London has shown that bumblebee queens spend the majority of their time resting on the ground between very short dispersal flights, with very little feeding. This research suggests that rest is an underappreciated part of the bumblebee life-cycle and that providing areas of long grass and undisturbed leaf-litter in early spring is important to help ensure bumblebee queens have adequate cover. If you find a bumblebee queen resting in the road or on a pavement, when it is safe to do so, you could gently move it to a more sheltered location or on to a nearby bee-friendly flower.

There are some occasions where bumblebees are genuinely in need of an energy boost, for example if a bee has been caught out in bad weather or has been grounded for a long time. The above mentioned study found that bumblebee queens rested for an average of about 30 minutes and sometimes up to almost 45 minutes. Anything over that could mean the bee is in trouble, in which case you may want to help move it to a nearby bee-friendly flower.

How to prepare sugar water

If there are no bee-friendly flowers around, mix 50/50 white sugar and water to give the bumblebee a one-off energy boost, providing the carbohydrates it needs to fly. Simply offer a drop or two of sugar water up to the front end of the bee on a teaspoon or an upturned drinks cap in a sheltered place and allow the bee time to recuperate. It is not advisable to use brown sugar as it is harder for bees to digest.

Can I feed a stranded bumblebee some honey?

Do not give bumblebees honey as this can contain pathogens (which is why honeybee keepers never feed shop-bought honey to their bees).

If you are still unsure after reading this whether a bumblebee is in need of rescue, ask yourself these three questions: