Bee bombs are small spheres created by mixing together soil, clay and a range of seeds. Bee bombs in particular focus on a range of seeds rich in nectar and pollen to try and provide resources for bees and other pollinators. Bee bombs, often referred to as seed bombs or bee balls have become very …
No, most bees consume a plant-based diet consisting of pollen and nectar. Certain species of stingless bees have been observed feeding on the flesh of dead animals but have not been observed consuming other insects like butterflies. Bees and butterflies both fall under the order Lepidoptera which means ‘scaled wing’ in Latin. Both of these …
No, while it might seem like bees are eating aphids (often referred to as black flies or green flies) they’re actually feeding on the sugary waste excretions produced by Aphids while feeding on tree sap. This excretion is known as ‘honeydew’. It’s a common misconception that bees are a natural form of pest control for …
No, most bees have a plant-based diet rich in pollen and nectar. Some species of stingless bees have been observed feeding on the flesh of dead animals but their diet does not extend to living insects like ants. The opposite is very much true of ants with honey, honeycomb, and even protein-rich young larvae on …
Stingless bees are a large group of species all comprised within the tribe Meliponini of the greater Apidae family and are often referred to as stingless honeybees. Stingless bees are eusocial just like honeybees meaning they display a high level of social intelligence displayed by females raising young with the support and cooperation of non-reproductive …
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Yes, many species of bumblebee and some solitary bees will hibernate in the ground over winter. They rely on fat stored over the summer months to ensure their survival through to their emergence in early spring. Winter is a challenging time for bees and with the changeable temperatures, we seem to be experiencing bees are …
Killing a queen wasp is unlikely to destroy her colony during the later months of Summer. Killing a queen wasp in early Spring can lead to a colony collapse due to her responsibility for feeding the young worker larvae. Much like some bee species, wasps have a matriarch that rules over the nest ensuring its …
Yes, bees can and will sting you through your clothes. You will be stung more easily through tight-fitting clothes or clothing items with very thin material. Thick, baggy clothing is the best way to avoid getting stung by bees. How do bees sting you through your clothes? Honeybees have evolved for thousands of years and …
Yes, bees can fart just like humans! Honeybees ingest pollen which is passed down into their honey stomachs and middle gut to be digested. Digested matter travels to the hindgut to be expelled as excrement, any air present in the fecal matter at the time of expulsion will become a bee fart. How do bees …
Bumblebees use sight and smell to identify potential new foraging locations. This means they will often hover just above the heads of flowers assessing the viability of each flower. Male bumblebees can be very territorial and will often hover in one spot waiting for a female bumblebee to emerge so he can mate. Male carpenter …
Yes, very hot light bulbs or light fixtures will kill bees on impact. Bees are attracted to light much like other flying insects via an innate positive phototactic response. This response increases considerably as the bee reaches maturity. The short video below shows the extreme reaction bees have to sources of light: Why are bees …
Black and yellow stripes on insects often indicate one of two things. Either the insect is equipped with a toxic bite or sting or it will taste particularly unpleasant when consumed by predators. While not all bees are black and yellow there are several species that display black and yellow stripes to warn potential predators. …
Yes, bees are attracted to the mineral and salt content of urine because their floral diet lacks these two key ingredients. Soiled water or urine can act as a nutritional supplement for bees providing well-needed vitamins. This process is called Mud Puddling, relating to any insect that uses waste moisture to gain amino acids, vitamins, …
Mason bee or in some cases mortar bee is the commonly used name for the bee species Osmia of the family Megachilidae. Bees included under the mason bee genus are the horn faced bee, the blueberry bee, the red mason bee and the orchard mason bee. What do they look like? They are typically shades …
Bees are normally calculated foragers with a unified goal and a strict schedule. So why are some of the hive’s inhabitants bumping into trees, getting lost, walking around in circles or simply unable to fly, why do bees act drunk? Bees really are drunk To put it simply they’re plastered, smashed, paralytic or any other …
Unlike reptiles, bees are unable to regrow their wings after they’ve been lost or damaged. Due to the large populations of bee colonies and the speed they reproduce the need to regenerate wings and limbs never played a part in their evolution. Can you help a bee with lost or damaged wings? If you find …
Why do you find bees with no wings? We take a closer look at some of the reasons you might be finding bees with missing wings. Why am I finding bees without wings? The main reason you find bees with no wings is an RNA virus named Deformed wing virus often referred to as DWV. …
Solitary Mason Bees are prolific pollinators, often doing the work of hundreds of honeybees with as little as 10-20 bees. Equipped with tiny Scopa hairs that transport pollen from flower to flower, Mason Bees flop from flower to flower in a chaotic fashion that is perfect for cross-pollination. Unlike Honeybees you don’t need equipment and …
We’ve never been more aware of the plight of the bees. Bee populations struggle due to several external factors like habitat destruction, industrial farming, disease, and parasites. It’s important to understand that not all bees need or use bee hotels. When you install a bee hotel in you are actively helping solitary bees such as …
Bees are wonderful creatures, a vital part of our ecosystem and the key to maintaining balance in the natural world. Unfortunately, continued human expansion is removing more green space every year and bee populations are declining. Thankfully, you can do something simple to help, by building your own bee hotel in your garden. When we …
A healthy honeybee colony can have as many as 50,000-60,000 individuals and in 2017 the UK government estimated the number of hives at 247,000. That means there could be as many as 1.23 million honeybees in the UK, however, the number is likely to be much less than this. The fate of British bees is …
You have probably heard the phrase ‘busy as a bee’ and this comes directly from the intricate and fast-paced lives of a bee colony. The inner workings of a bee hive are key to bee survival and it can make or break a colony. Conditions need to be just right to support the entire colony, …
Bees are famous for producing honey, but they also produce and build with honeycomb. Not all bees produce honey so which species do? How do bees make honeycomb? What is the purpose of honeycomb? Keep reading to learn the answer to these questions and more! What Is Honeycomb? Honeycomb is a natural product produced by …
Springtime is marked by the arrival of bees, wasps and butterflies. Many people find these critters annoying or even frightening, but they play a vital role in the health of their ecosystem and also in the success of the world’s food production Bees are pollinators, meaning many crops rely on them for fertilisation. Without bees, …
Nobody likes being caught out by rain, but for bees, a downpour is potentially life-threatening. Bees are capable of short flights during a light drizzle of rain, but a heavier rain shower is a definite problem. Therefore, it is important that you know how to save a drowning or wet bee. Bees have very fine …
The carpenter bee is one of over 220 solitary bee species in the UK. They are so-called thanks to their nesting behaviours; carpenter bees burrow into softwood to lay their eggs. Unfortunately, as humans expand into rural areas, carpenter bees are more frequently building their nests in the sidings of homes and this can cause …
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When you find a tired bee in your home, it’s probably exhausted from flying around looking for nectar and pollen all day. If so, you’re probably wondering what to feed a bee? Feed the poor insect with a fresh sugar water solution to give them their strength back! To make this simple solution for an …
Honeybee History Honeybee species first appeared during the Cretaceous period, which began approximately 450 million years ago and ended 60 million years ago. At that time, the layout of the world was vastly different, as were honeybees and their habitat. Australia, India, Antarctica, Africa and South America were one large supercontinent called Gondwana. The climate …
Everyone knows that bee season starts in spring, but the action really ramps up in early summer. What do bees do in summer that they can’t do the rest of the year? Quite a bit! Everything from climate control to nest maintenance, food production, and caring for young, summer is the busiest time of year …
The Lifecycle of the Honeybee Whether you are just starting out as a beekeeper or you are simply interested to learn about these buzzing beauties, the lifecycle of the honeybee will certainly captivate your curiosity. In the beekeeping profession, bees are often referred to as castes. A caste is a group of individuals of the …
When we think about bees and what they symbolise, there are many different aspects of life to consider. Almost every part of our existence can be symbolic of a bee’s nature, the way they live or how they work. What a bee symbolises can have a profound effect on every part of our life, from …
We are very excited to announce that Revive a Bee is now crowdfunding on Indiegogo! We want to expand our bee revival product offering by creating a gold and black version of our bee revival keyring. We’re aiming to raise £1000 in total, this is the perfect opportunity to purchase our black and gold keyrings …
We’ve created the A-Z of Bees and arranged them into cool flashcards! Did you ever have flashcards when you were a kid? Here at Revive a Bee we all have memories of playing different memory games with our parents. With so many different bee species and so much to learn about the environment we wanted …
The lost bees need our help! We’re celebrating this easter by giving away a huge 30% discount on your basket total. Sadly we haven’t had time to hide any eggs this year because we’ve been too busy looking for the lost bees. Can you help us find all the lost bees? Don’t worry, there is …
Bee Boost Keyring is needed now more than ever. On Saturday the 20th of March we celebrated the 2021 spring equinox, which marks the first day of astronomical spring. It’s this time of year that bees need our help the most. Spring Blossom Watch – Give Bees a Boost The temperature is changing, the sun …
To save a grounded bee you can just create a simple sugar syrup at home using granulated sugar and tap water. Mix two parts of water to one part of granulated white sugar to create a sugar solution ideal for saving grounded bees that need a quick energy boost. Should I feed a grounded bee …
Habitat loss is a significant threat to bee populations worldwide, but how does it affect bees and their ability to thrive? From residential expansion to increases in agricultural productivity, thousands of bee species are suffering a population decline and hundreds are at risk of extinction. Understanding how habitat loss will affect bees is the key …
Solitary bees are vital to the ecosystem and are known to pollinate with incredible efficiency. Crop production benefits from the excellent cross-pollination abilities of solitary bees such as the red mason bee, certain types of plants are specialized to only be pollinated by certain bee species. Our gardens are often filled with honeybees and bumblebees, …
Before you can truly answer which insects are pollinators, you must first understand what pollinators are. What are pollinators? In short, a pollinator is any animal or insect that transfers pollen from the male anther to the female stigma of a flower/plant. This process of moving pollen between flowers allows plants to reproduce and is …
When you think of bees, you will probably immediately think of fuzzy bumblebees, their bums coated with pollen as they jump from flower to flower, or busy little honey bees carrying nectar back to the hive to make into that sweet syrup we all know and love. The mention of solitary bees seems to throw …
The world of bees and pollinators is complex and has a much bigger impact on our lives than most people realise, but bee populations all over the world are declining at an alarming rate. This leads us to the question ‘How much of our food supply do bees pollinate?’. In the UK there are 25 …
Have you ever wondered how bees mate and reproduce in such large numbers? Look no further, we’ve created a detailed guide to help you understand how common bee species increase their population. From queen honey bees and the drones they mate with to furrier varieties of bumblebees and their mating rituals, we’ll take a closer …
Summer has passed and Autumn is quickly turning into a chilly wet Winter in the UK. Bees of all species are taking shelter and sighting our little friends is becoming harder. If you do see a bee at this time of year chances are it could be a bit of a bother so I’ve compiled …
When we created Revive a Bee our goal was to make a bee revival kit that was not only great for humans but great for bees as well, which led us to Invertbee. We looked at the best possible solutions (no pun intended) to fill our thirst aid kits. The obvious option was the classic …
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While there isn’t one single answer to how long does a bee live for, the western honeybee worker lives for between 35 – 180 days based on several factors including season and location. Bumblebee workers live for less time in between 13-41 days. How Long do honeybees live for? Type Of Honeybee Life Cycle Queen …
You can learn how to save a dehydrated bee in three easy steps just by following our simple guide below. step 1: assess if your bee is in need of help If you find a tired bee in a garden full of pollen and nectar-rich flowers, chances are it may have come to the end …
Bees have been helping humans for thousands of years. Pollinating plants is essential to the survival of the planet as we know it, but there are other fascinating ways bees have affected human life, in both past and present. So here we have 5 amazing lesser-known facts about bees. 1. bees can be trained to …
I’ve always thought about where bees go and how they survive over winter and I’m not talking about honey bees. This topic mostly refers to solitary British bees and how adverse weather conditions can have an unfavourable effect on the vulnerable bee population. With so many different species of bees and a changing climate, our …
The hornet holds the title of the biggest eusocial wasp. Growing to over 2 inches in length these formidable insects are a marvel to look at. Their appearance is very similar to that of a yellow jacket wasp apart from their gargantuan size. Just like honeybees and bumblebees, the hornet lives in a nest with …
Honeybee queens release a pheromone while in the hive which communicates their presence and reign to their subjects. When leaving to mate a honeybee queen will release this pheromone in larger amounts to ensure her workers are aware of her continued monarchy and do not start the process of replacing her. A honeybee queen’s typical …
