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How to Repair a Bumble Bee
All Photos: Elizabeth Close |
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You might have read elsewhere on this site how the precarious flight of bumble
bees could have a lot to do with the 'excess baggage' they're carrying around
with them. This extra cargo is the mites they pick up while they're resting on the
ground.
Recently I heard from Elizabeth Close, an amazing lady in Northern Ireland, who
not only observed and photographed these annoying little hitchhikers, but also
noticed that they were so numerous the bees had become weak and unable
to fly. Being a practical person she found a safe way of removing them.
First she lines up a few cups, half-filled with tepid water.
Then she finds a mite infested bee, and encourages it to walk onto the end of a twig.
Next she dips the bee and twig slowly into the first cup of water, with the odd total
immersion.
The mites jump off immediately, like rats leaving a sinking ship.
She then dips the bee into the other cups until all the mites have left.
The bee, as you'd imagine, is saturated, and not too happy. But placed on a bit of kitchen paper
soon dries out.
She keeps the bee in an open box, wrapped loosely in tissue, until it is active enough to
fly away.
Elizabeth was keen to stress that no bees were injured by the procedure and all flew off in better shape than when they were found. Even the mites that come off in the water are alive, so
they too could be released, although that's entirely up to the individual 'bee
doctor'!
UK Safari Bumble Bee Page
How Bumble Bees Got Their Name
How to Build a Bumble Bee House - Members Only
UK Safari Creepy-Crawlies Section
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