As a website focused on providing valuable information about the natural world, we often receive questions about the relationship between bees and flowers and one that always comes up is ‘do bees kill flowers when they collect nectar and pollen?’. No, bees do not kill flowers. In fact, bees are really important pollinators for flowers, […]

Bees face several natural predators in their nests and on their foraging trips. From birds and mammals to insects and arachnids, there’s no end to the potential dangers and predators bees encounter. As gardeners and nature enthusiasts, it’s fascinating to understand the complex relationships between bees and predators and to work to promote healthy ecosystems

Bees are essential pollinators that play a crucial role in maintaining our ecosystem’s balance, but they aren’t free from danger. Unfortunately, these fuzzy flyers are also a favourite food of many predatory insects. From wasps and hornets to praying mantises and spiders, these creatures may not be bees’ best friends, but they’re fascinating in their

Did you know a single bee can visit up to 5,000 flowers in one day? Spring is not just a time of renewal for us; it’s a lifeline for these buzzing workers. As they emerge from hibernation and search for food, they must find the best flowers to get the energy they need to build

Do you want to make sure your garden is thriving? Are you looking for natural, sustainable ways to help it flourish? Then it’s time to look into the amazing benefits of bee pollination. From creating stronger and healthy plants to providing essential nutrients in the soil. Not only that, but you’ll be playing an important

This rather small species of bumblebee can be found in a wide range of habitats across the United Kingdom. Appearance The heath bumblebee is characterised by its distinctive yellow collar, yellow-banded abdomen and pure white tail. It has a small, short, rounded face that’s as long as it is wide. Apart from its smaller size

The Bombus hortorum, also known as the garden bumblebee, is a species of bumblebee that is native to Europe. These bees are important pollinators for a variety of plants, including fruits and vegetables, and are known for their distinctive yellow and black striped pattern. They’re considered as one of the ‘big 7’, one of seven

The leafcutter bee is a fascinating species of bee belonging to the genus Megachile which also includes resin bees and mason bees. *This subset belongs to the much larger Megachilidae cosmopolitan family made up of solitary species. Leafcutter bees have gained their name due to their unique behaviour of leaf cutting. This involves removing circular

If you have eczema, it can be difficult to find a moisturizer that works for you and doesn’t aggravate your condition. Enter beeswax, the perfect solution to help treat and prevent dry skin for people with eczema. Let’s take a closer look at the intrinsic link between beeswax and eczema, how you can use beeswax

The term mining bee refers to a group of bee species belonging to the genus Andrena. In the UK, there are 67 species of mining bee, including the tawny mining bee, ashy mining bee and Clarke’s mining bee. What Do Mining Bees Look Like? Identifying mining bees away from their nests can be tricky. With

Looking for the best seed bombs to turn your garden or wild place into a thriving wildflower area? Seed bombs are clay balls packed with seeds and compost. You can throw them on your lawn or garden to start growing a beautiful range of native plants. It’s an easy and fun way to start gardening

Bees are a crucial part of our ecosystem. They pollinate our crops and wild plants, which helps keep the environment healthy and provides a wide range of habitats for other insects and nails. Bees also produce honey used by humans as a food source and for a range of medicinal purposes. Let’s take a deep

The early bumblebee sometimes referred to as the early-nesting bumblebee, Latin name Bombus pratorum is a widely spread species visible in many areas across the UK. This relatively small species of bumblebee gains its name for being one of the first bumblebees to appear in early spring, feasting on early blooming flower varieties. What do

We love all insects here at Revive a Bee, so we wanted to list some of the best bug hotels to bring your garden to life and help a wide variety of bugs and insects find their new homes. A bug hotel is a predominantly wooden structure that acts as a residence for various insects,

Bees are one of the most important pollinators in the world, but they’re also often misunderstood. Bees live in colonies, and each colony has a different life cycle. Honeybees, bumblebees and solitary bees all have their own ingenious methods and techniques for surviving a chilly winter. So how do bees survive a long winter without

We all see bees out in the garden or going for a walk. These furry little creatures buzz around so fast it’s hard to see what they’re doing, but thanks to science we now have a much better understanding of bee behaviour. Bees are flying insects and are close cousins to wasps and ants. Bees

Have you ever observed honeybees wiggling their bums in the form of a strange dance-like motion and wondered what they’re doing and why? Well look no further, we’ve gone ahead and found out exactly why bees wiggle their bums and the myriad of reasons they might do it. Let’s take a closer look at our

The Tree bumblebee, Latin name Bombus hypnorum of the genus Bombus is a species of bumblebee present across parts of Europe and Asia. Despite its fast spread across mainland Europe and the UK this species is still not currently found in the Mediterranean or large swathes of Eastern Europe. What do Tree bumblebees look like?

The White-tailed bumblebee, Latin name Bombus lucorum is a species of bumblebee common across the United Kingdom and Europe. The term White-tailed bumblebee is a cover-all for three species of bumblebee with nearly indistinguishable characteristics. These three taxa are: B. lucorum – White-tailed bumblebee Bombus magnus – Northern white-tailed bumblebee Bombus cryptarum – Cryptic bumblebee

Yes, if bees are unable to leave the hive to collect water they are at risk of overheating. Signs of overheating include bearding (huddling in large numbers outside the hive), increase activity to collect and deposit water in the hive or in extreme cases melting honey and wax. Keeping bees in warmer climates comes with

Bees spend their days busily buzzing from flower to flower, collecting resources to return to the nest or hive. They use various techniques to quickly identify potential sources of pollen and nectar, land and extract the precious prize. Regarding flowers and bees, not all flowers are equal; some will contain significantly more forage, while others

No, while it might look like bees are eating wood, they are carpenter bees using their large mandibles to tunnel inside, create a nest, and not ingest any of the wood extracted during this process. These holes are typically ½-inch in diameter and perfectly rounded. This ingenious technique allows the bee to raise her young

Have you ever stopped to think, what do bees do at night? Everyone knows that the main job of most bees is to collect pollen during the warm daylight hours, but where do bees go at night, and what do they do? Only thanks to a study conducted in the 80s do we know the

No, bees do not eat caterpillars. Wasps and hornets regularly predate on caterpillars and can often be mistaken for bees. Bees species, excluding the Vulture bee, feed on a predominantly pollen and nectar diet. This can lead to close encounters with many other insects in the stems, leaves and flowers of plants. Generally, most bees

Despite their name, stingless bees or meliponines are equipped with powerful mandibles to bite intruders alongside injecting a painful formic acid. Stingless bees will also use a sticky resin to actively stick intruders to the floor with some species forming a soldier caste solely to dispatch intruders. Unlike honeybees, stingless bees have vestigial (atrophied) stingers

Yes, while bees aren’t attracted to blood in particular they are often observed drinking foul liquids including blood due to the minerals contained within. Many beekeepers operate on working farms and there have been many reports of bees investigating and drinking spilt blood from farm animals. This extends to other bodily fluids as well, believe

Yes, bees will happily take flight on damp days but flying in the rain for long periods or during heavy rain can be dangerous. Bumble bees are more likely to forage during rainy days than other species like the honey bee that will opt to stay inside the hive during wet weather. So how do

Yes, many bee species eat dandelions, including honeybees, bumblebees and solitary bees. Dandelions have been somewhat demonised as the bane of lawns worldwide. This tiny little weed provides a fantastic food source for the wildlife in your garden. Dandelions, Latin name (Taraxacum officinale), are championed as one of the first flowers to provide a suitable

Yes, bananas contain natural sugars that bees are attracted to. But more interestingly, bananas contain a compound naturally occurring in the alarm pheromones bees release when they’re under threat. Feeding a banana to a managed hive or consuming a banana close to a wild nest could (in theory) trigger an aggressive reaction due to the

Looking for the perfect bumblebee-themed gift for a friend or loved one? We’ve scoured the internet to create our extensive list for every budget and occasion. Let’s dive straight in with the best bumblebee gifts inspired by our furry, buzzing friends. Bumblebee Gifts For Any Occasion Here’s our carefully selected range of unique, thoughtful gifts

To revive a tired bee you can simply mix two tablespoons of tap water with a tablespoon of granulated white sugar, place the solution close to the bee using a teaspoon and allow it to drink. Never feed bees honey and don’t try to force the bee to drink. How To Revive A Tired Bee

Yes, male bumblebees will emerge in early spring before any queens. They stake out territory and try to mate with any queens that enter while driving away any competing males that try to enter their domain. This territorial attitude extends only as far as other males within their species rather than humans. Carpenter bees are

Found a bee that can’t fly? Don’t worry we’ve got you and your furry friend covered with our helpful guide on how to help a bee that can’t fly. Bees fly directly from their hives and nests either to forage for resources or to mate and reproduce. Grounded bees are a common sight, they can

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