Bee Kind

Usual Sunday morning chores interrupted today when I noticed a queen Buff-tailed Bumblebee sitting on the kitchen windowsill, she must have got stuck indoors the previous evening. She dived into the offered teaspoon of honey, allowing me a photo opportunity.

Many people regard bees rather warily, but they are fascinating and important creatures. Bumblebee’s are normally very docile, interested only in buzzing from flower to flower. This bee clearly needed to refuel as she greedily lapped up nearly half a teaspoon of honey with her incredibly long tongue. As she drank I gently stroked her back with my fingertip, her fur was so soft and silky, like a moles velvety coat, but softer still.

Once she’d had enough, she went for a test flight around the living room, looping around in a large lazy circle to get her bearings and hovering back over the honey. Though they look rather unsteady in flight, they are actually quite agile and accurate in the air. Taking her to the window on the spoon I released her, and she completed a circuit of the garden before buzzing purposefully off down the hedgerow.

To find out more about Bumblebees and what you can do to help them, visit: http://bumblebeeconservation.org/

And why not take the Bee Kind quiz to see how bee friendly your garden is, and get handy tips on how to make it even better for them.

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