Bumblebees are among the first insects to visit flowers in spring. In the summer it happens that weakened bumblebees notice how to support them with the right food, this article tells.
In a nutshell
- Wild plants as natural bumblebee food
- prefer pollen and nectar
- Carefully feed weakened bumblebees a sugar solution
- Feeding place makes less sense than watering hole and natural garden
Table of contents
- Natural food for bumblebees
- Identify hungry bumblebees
- artificial lining
- Feeding Instructions
- feeding places
- frequently asked Questions
Natural food for bumblebees
Bumblebees (Bombus) usually suck nectar from flowers. They also collect pollen when they visit the flowers and bring it back to their nest. The pollen is important for the queen and the offspring. The following flowering plants prefers the bumblebee:
- wildflowers (columbine, thistles)
- early flowering trees (willows)
- Ornamental plants rich in nectar or pollen
- fruit trees
- no double flowers
- late flowering plants (ivy)
Identify hungry bumblebees
Recognizing a hungry bumblebee is not so easy. If a weakened bumblebee is noticed, for example because it is lying on the ground and can no longer fly, it is often too late. Nevertheless, you can try to feed the bumblebee with home-made food.
artificial lining
Finding the right food for a bumblebee is actually quite easy. She gets sugar diluted with some water. But it should be fructose. Household sugar also works in an emergency. Syrups, honey or sugar substitutes are not suitable.
Notice: There is no difference between the individual seasons for bumblebees, they always get the same food.
Feeding Instructions
- Dissolve about half a teaspoon of sugar in a spoonful of water.
- Prepare the mixture for the bumblebees on a flat surface, for example a trivet.
- Carefully pick up the bumblebee with a piece of cardboard. It's better not to pick them up. Although bumblebees are peaceful, they can still sting.
- Place the bumblebee on the edge of the sugar solution and observe. If she is hungry, she will start sucking with her snout. After gaining enough power, she will fly away.
feeding places
It does not make sense to create feeding stations for bumblebees in the garden. The reasons for this are as follows:
- Sugar doesn't just attract bumblebees
- Ants can gather
- Bees and wasps are also attracted and can become a nuisance
- Diseases or parasites can spread among the insects
Better than feeding places are nesting sites combined with a garden that is as natural as possible with many flowering plants that bloom at different times of the year and thus the bumblebees and other insects to use.
Notice: A shallow watering hole in the garden is more important than a feeding place for insects.
frequently asked Questions
In contrast to bees, wasps or hornets, the bumblebee has a clumsy physique and is hairy. It is also usually larger than bees or wasps. Often only individual animals can be seen at the bumblebee nest.
While people used to think that the trees were responsible and that the flowers were somehow poisonous to the bumblebees, today we know that the animals starved to death. They reach the trees with the last of their strength, but can no longer take in enough food to prevent their death.
The most important things are natural areas in the garden and as many flowering plants as possible that bloom in all seasons so that the animals can find food and hiding places all the time. Bumblebees in the house should be caught with a jar and taken outside instead of killing them.