Adventures with an iPhone - Spotting a tired bee
Tuesday, 27th August 2019
I recall my daughter mentioning to me earlier this year that a sugar-water solution could be given to a tired bee; however, when I googled this advice, I found several references to a long-term sugar water solution being potentially harmful to bees because they may become lazy (I assume) and 'flock to the solution.' At this point, common sense kicked in for me - I'm dealing with a tired (could be sick or old/dying) bee. I decide it’s exhausted. He/She is not lazy and I imagine has no intention of switching from foraging for nectar to playing tired on the nation's patios in the hope that someone will foolishly supply a daily dose of sugar water! So, I head indoors and make a swift sugar water solution for our tired friend who's feeling the heat more than usual.

The video shows the exhausted bumblebee drinking the sugary solution. I rearranged the patio furniture to put the bee in shade and gave it long enough to drink all it could for several minutes. Isn't it mesmerising? I tried to film as close as possible and my iPhone is certainly good enough to record this delicate operation. It certainly wasn't too much to ask to put a little offering out for this sweet little character.
Please get out and about recording your own wildlife adventures.
Until next week, enjoy nature

Simon
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Written by Simon H. King