How to Take Care of a Baby Bumble Bee

A baby bumble bee is typically safest within its own colony. It is fed and taught how to survive in nature. But sometimes a shift in weather or injury can severely impact the baby bumblebee's ability to survive within the colony. If you've found a injured or downed baby bumble bee and want to care for it, there are a few things you can do to ensure its survival.

Things You'll Need

  • Magnifying glass
  • Cardboard
  • 1 cup sugar
  • Bottle cap
  • Jar
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Instructions

    • 1

      Inspect the baby bumble bee using a magnifying glass. Look at his wings to determine if they are torn or injured. If you notice that the bumble bee is not flying, it is either injured or hasn't received enough food to give it the energy to fly.

    • 2

      Pick the baby bumble bee up carefully by sliding a piece of cardboard underneath its body. Take it to a warm place, at least 78 degrees Fahrenheit. You can place it in an aquarium, a wood box or shoe box, or large jar to feed it. Make sure any enclosed housing unit that you've prepared for the baby bumble bee has adequate air exchange.

    • 3

      Mix 1 cup of sugar with 2 cups of water to form a nectar supplement for the baby bumble bee. Pour some of the mixture in a small container such as a bottle cap, and store the rest in the refrigerator. Place the cap amongst the flowers in the yard or inside the container with the bumble bee. Replenish the mixture when it is gone and there are no flowers in the area. This nectar supplement is only necessary if there is no access to flowers, or the local flowers are damaged by a strong wind or frost.

    • 4

      Release the baby bumble bee back into the environment once you notice that it begins to fly. Once the baby bumble bee is fed, it usually has enough energy to fly and rejoin the colony within a day or two. Release it near the colony if possible. Make sure the temperature is above 86 degrees Fahrenheit outside, as a baby bumble bee can't fly in colder conditions.

    • 5

      Plant preferred flowers to keep the baby bumble bee nourished outside. Bumble bees need the pollen to survive. There are a number of flowers preferred by bees including germander, thyme and the sunflower. For a list of preferred flowers see Resources.