This is a little tale of how I was recently able to help two bees in need, and why these essential pollinators need our help more than ever.
I’ve always been fond of bees. When I was a little girl, way before the days of social media(!), I never realised just how important these bumbly, adorable little insects were. Nor did I realise that in the UK alone, there are more than 250 species of them[1]!
As a child, those days of watching the bees dance from flower to flower, all seem a distant and carefree memory. Now I find myself firmly in the grasp of adulthood, there is a certain sadness to watching these diligent little dancers. In a March 2019 article, New Scientist wrote of how “a third of wild bee and hoverfly species are in decline across Great Britain,” which subsequently raises concerns about loss of essential biodiversity, and “the potential loss of pollinators.[2]” The older I became, the more prevalent the message – we must do what we can to help and protect bees, and of course, their fellow pollinators.
New Scientist states that the blame for these declining numbers has been placed at the doors of farming, habitat loss and pesticides. The Royal Society of Biology (RSB) elaborates on these possible causes, including “agricultural intensification, increases in pests and diseases, agrochemicals such as neonicotinoid pesticides, climate change, and the reduction in beekeeping[3].”
With this in mind, what is being done to protect our essential pollinators? The RSB advise that “There is no co-ordinated government strategy to maintain pollination services in the UK, but several agencies and research councils have relevant initiatives.” A list of these can be found on the RSB‘s policy work for bees.
In my case, I would like to tell you all about an adorable company who are taking their own initiatives, named Revive a Bee. I discovered them this year (2021), after my boyfriend, Duncan, bought me a silver Bee Revival Keyring (or ‘Thirst Aid Kit‘) as one of my very thoughtful birthday presents. The little keyring contains a vial of Invertbee syrup, which the Revive a Bee team tell us is “specifically designed for bees and provides a nutritionally sound source of energy.” Essential for helping an exhausted bee make its way back to a place of safety.
I was so pleased with this gift, that I just had to post about it on my Instagram – the sustainable (and compostable) packaging was a huge plus, not forgetting the wildflower seed paper that you can plant in your garden and watch it grow into bee-friendly plants. The teeny little wooden bee model also sits pride of place on my bookshelf.
However, the opportunity to actually use the ‘Thirst Aid Kit’ didn’t actually come until a rare trip away from Norfolk. The moment of buzzy glory came from an early summer visit with Duncan to Kent, along the famous White Cliffs of Dover.
It was a blustery day; the wind was whipping along the cliff tops, and the sun had gone into hiding behind a smattering of clouds. At my usual slow and methodical pace, I found myself actually grateful for my usual need to take frequent stops (the joys of having a chronic illness!) – these moments allowed me to forget my frustrations and take in the beautiful views. As well as being able to look out to sea, there was also a breath-taking range of flora, particularly the arched blue clusters of viper’s bugloss.
This vivid little plant provides amble dining for a range of insects, including our favourite pollinators. It was during a moment of pause that I noticed two exhausted little buff-tailed bumblebees on the ground (at least, I think that’s what they were – I know they could potentially be mistaken with white-tailed bumblebees, so please let me know if I have wrongly identified them). I had seen quite a few flying insects battling against the strong breeze, so no doubt this extra exertion was taxing on their little wings.
Armed with my ‘Thirst Aid Kit’, I dabbed a little drop of the Invertbee syrup onto a nearby bugloss petal. Within moments, the first bee had caught wind of this delectable offering, and slowly but eagerly made their way closer. Antenna twitching excitedly, they extended their little tongue and began to drink.
I then went to serve the second bee their essential dose of revival potion. To my surprise, the little fellow decided to crawl onto my hand before I had a chance to put down a drop of syrup for them. I felt that the only reasonable thing to do in the circumstances was to let them have a drink from the comfort of my thumb. It was so sweet, feeling their tiny little feet pitter-pattering gently across my skin.
I’m not going to lie; this was one of those simple but lovely moments that really made me feel ridiculously happy.
Sheltering my fuzzy little friend from the unrelenting breeze, I simply sat on the ground and allowed them to drink at their own leisure. It didn’t take long before the syrup had its desired effect – Duncan and I watched as their little wings started to flit, and their buzzing grew louder. It was like watching one of those old-fashioned wind-up toys leaping into life…or a toddler in the midst of a sugar high.
After both bees were finished buzzing their appreciation, they took to the sky, circling around us a couple of times before diligently resuming their pollen-collecting. As I watched their little rotund insect bodies disappear from view as they went in search for flowers new, I was definitely left with a warm, fuzzy feeling – it made up for the subsequent ME crash that came later!
That was my good deed for the day. Now, I always try to make sure I have my ‘Thirst Aid Kit’ on hand – you never know when you may find a pollinator in need. If you would like to see more photos from my bee encounter, you can view them on my Instagram post.
If you would like to support the work of Revive a Bee, please do check out their shop for fantastic gift ideas, and consider equipping yourself with your own ‘Thirst Aid Kit’!
Selected products are also available to purchase via their Amazon Store. The below contain affiliate links, if you would like to find out more about these, you can do so on my About page.
- Gold Bee Revival Kit – Keyring with Sugar Syrup and Seed Paper to help Revive a Bee
- Silver Bee Revival Kit – 1 Keyring with Sugar Syrup & Seed Paper to help Rescue Bees
- Black Bee Revival Kit – 1 Keyring with Sugar Syrup and Seed Paper to Help Revive a Bee
- Bee Revival Kit Refill Bottle with Sugar Syrup Feed to Rescue and Revive Bees
- Bee Revival Kit Refill Bottles 3 x 10ml Sugar Syrup to Feed Rescue & Revive a Bee
- Varela, Charlotte (14 May 2019) – ‘Types of bee in the UK: how to tell the difference‘, Woodlandtrust.org.uk
- Vaughan, Adam (26 March 2019) – ‘A third of wild bee and hoverfly species are in decline in Britain‘, NewScientist.com
- Royal Society of Biology – Bees (Policy Work for Environmental Sciences), RSB.org.uk
Lisa Writes 