Bees and bumblebees can often end up exhausted and in dire need of a boost in hot weather, so gardeners are being urged to use a spoonful of sugar water in their gardens this weekend
While the blazing hot conditions have been absolutely brilliant for all of us this week as we’ve been able to make the most of our gardens, patios, parks and outdoor spaces, it’s not been ideal for bees and bumblebees.
Garden enthusiasts are being encouraged to offer a teaspoon of sugar water to struggling pollinators this weekend as Britain continues to bask in scorching temperatures.
Not everything in the garden thrives on relentless sunshine – it can be completely knackering for bees and bumblebees who may be in desperate need of a pick-me-up. It comes as UK gardeners are told to stop cutting the grass on their lawn this week.
READ MORE: ‘I’m a professional gardener – these are the most beautiful flowers to plant in August’READ MORE: Woman shows off ‘beautiful’ garden makeover and proves everyone wrong over tiny detail
Since bee and bumblebees are under such severe threat due to habitat destruction, pesticides and global warming, every person with a garden is being encouraged to do whatever they can to help them survive, reports the Express.
And with bees at last a familiar sight in our gardens during the sunshine, it typically doesn’t take long before someone notices a struggling, weakened bee battling against death.
In such circumstances, gardeners are being urged to intervene and as a final option, make a sugar water mixture to revive exhausted bees.
Gardeners World says: “It’s not uncommon to find bumblebees at an apparent standstill appearing tired, particularly in winter or in inclement weather. To get them back on their feet, you can mix a sugar solution by mixing equal parts warm water and sugar. Place near the bee’s head in a bottle cap or something similar, and it should stick out its proboscis to drink, energise and warm up.”
Bee defence force Beevive.com warns: “In the city, tired bees are a common sighting. This is because there are fewer flower stops on the way back to the hive. You will find bees on the sides of paths or parks as they don’t have the energy to complete their foraging mission.
“Animals and insects are required for pollinating 80 percent of our flowering plants. All of our crops and vegetables such as broccoli, strawberries, tomatoes etc… would disappear, which would have disastrous effects on our ability to get food and rear livestock.”
However, gardeners are being cautioned to use the sugar water method only when absolutely essential, focusing on helping individual bees rather than making it available continuously as this can actually cause greater damage than benefit.
“Many of the headlines stating that sugar water is bad are only using clickbait methods and eventually conclude that it’s helpful to feed a one-off bee,” one expert said.
“Instead of giving one tired bee support, bees were being encouraged to these solutions in gardens and on window ledges. This is terrible for the hive because, unlike nutritious pollen and nectar, this solution will not feed the bee larvae properly and can also cultivate bacteria over time.
“Putting these out for bees will teach them to go there and leave the flowers unpollinated as the RSPB also warns. In the long-term, it could even end up getting an unsuspecting beekeeper prosecuted as his ‘honey’ turns out to be only sugar syrup.”
Gardeners are also being encouraged to save a bee
“Try and find a flower nearby. If it’s possible, make it a high nectar and pollen one such as buddleia, sunflowers or knapweeds. This is the high-nutrient food that she has been looking for. If the flower method fails, sugar water is needed.”
The RSPB provides guidance on how to use the sugar water method safely.
It advises: “It’s common to find tired bees on pathways, walls and places you wouldn’t expect. In these cases, a simple mixture of around two tablespoons of white, granulated sugar with one tablespoon of water left on a spoon or in an eggcup is helpful for hardworking bees.
“It’s important to avoid leaving out honey, or large containers of sugar water as these are simply not viable long-term solutions for bees.”
READ MORE: Futuristic tech to revolutionise your sleep– from an AI bed to anti-snore pillow