How could I have helped this bee?

[VirgosNeedGoals]

Saw a lollopy looking bumble bee just now, round the back of my house. Very tired, disorientated etc. So I mixed some sugar and water and went back to him with a tablespoon and left it there for him to drink, he wouldn't drink it. Poured a bit next to him, he wouldn't drink it. He went very still and my heart sank. So I picked a couple of wild flowers and popped them next to him, he started crawling all over them (phew) but then seemed to lose interest and traipsed off into the long grass very slowly. I'm hoping due to the time of day he was just trying to sleep and hoped I'd piss off and leave him alone?

Could I have done anything better and in future how do you know when to intervene and when to leave them alone?

Many thanks - and no abuse please to the vipers on here. I was only trying to help.

Could just be end of life...the workers dont live long, about a month or so once they have moved up the job chain in the nest. I keep bumble bees and have several nests running from may to about october.

Shes probably reached the end of her life. You couldn't do anything differently I don't think.

Sugar water is good, moving them to a bee-friendly flower is good. Beyond that, leave them alone. Sometimes they just need a rest, sometimes they're hungry, sometimes they're dying. It's hard (impossible really) to tell which it is. If I see a bumblebee out in sudden heavy rain I'll move it to shelter too - just some plants so they can avoid being battered.

You tried ❤️

Oh aren't you lovely @VirgosNeedGoals 😢 How sweet of you. Worry not, you did nothing wrong. Said bee was very likely about to shuffle off his mortal coil anyway. ❤ At least you tried. Thank you! 😘 🐝

Bees

Lol @violetqueen6 That is legit me to a T! 😆 I will literally let bees sit on my hand now. 20+ years ago, I'd be like . YIIIKEEES! and run like the wind if one came within 6 feet of me! 😆

Don't try mouth-to-mouth.
An old lady tried it, but on the intake breath she swallowed the bee!
And then there was a load of insects and animals that followed to try and extricate the bee.
If I recall the final outcome was not very pleasant.
I think they made a song about it.

How do you keep bumble bees? Honey bees obviously are in hives, but bumbles? Or do you mean you have a bombus friendly garden?

This! I adore them. They're just so cute. If he had died on me I honestly would have cried 😭

I have a friend who breeds them...he hibernates the new queens and then wakes them up so they start building nests. He provides pollen and nectar until queen has several new workers who then go out to forage.once nest is appx 50 workers, he sells them...colony grows to about 300 bees and then in late august queen only produces males and new queens.

I've just gone round the back to see if my little friend was there but he wasn't so I'm telling myself he had a good shut eye and flew away this morning! Out of interest I do wonder what happens to the bumble bee remains once they've passed away