I just wanted to know if bumble’s sleep? Does anyone know?

I just adore bumbles, they are so sweet.  I have a plastic fish tank in my kitchen and if i see a stranded bumble i first try warming it in my hands. The males are so cute in your hand because they push themselves down onto your skin, absorbing the warmth and snuggle in!

If hand warming doesn’t work i put them in the fish tank on kitchen paper, put some sugar water in for them and let them warm up. I also put a few flowers in for them too. If they are feeding but not flapping their wings i put the oven on and warm the room up and it isn’t usually long before they are flying around and then i let them out again.

Perhaps you could try to help them too, especially in this bad weather when they get stuck, they will appreciate your help and it gives you a great sense of satisfaction.Have you ever held a bumblebee?

     

Hi Alibumble,

It sounds like you are a BB addict too !

I don’t know if BBs sleep, but I believe that they do.
One of the things that you see newly emerged queens do is to bask in the sun.
Sometimes this is on vegetation, or the ground, or on flowers, or on walls made of brick, or wood.
A basking queen can initially be seen to have active antennae: but later these drop down and stay like that until the bee gets stimulated.
And you can see the same thing on worker bees and drone (male) bees.

So, I believe that a bee with it’s antennae down is dosing, and may be sleeping.
And I have lots of photos of this. 
I haven’t yet worked out how to post them here - but, fingers crossed, there might be one below, which is of a queen B. hortorum sleeping on a Yellow Flag.

As to handling bees, you have to be a bit careful, but one of the nice things you don’t mention is that their feet can tickle !

Clive

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Thanks Clive for your replies.

I am bumble mad yes!!!!!  I wasn’t sure if they slept but i hoped they did.

     

I have a little plastic “pet” tank, with a ventilated lid. In it I have segments of an egg box. I also have a milk bottle screw-cap, over which I have attached a fine net (fly screen) with an elastic band (so they can’t fall in). If they need to be “rescued” for more than a few minutes they go in there until recovered!
I love bumble-cuddles too :o)

     

Hi Mandy, well done!!! The more rescues we can carry out hopefully the more bees we will have.

Bumble rescuers rule   Bumble cuddles are the best!!!

     

[quote Bumble rescuers rule   Bumble cuddles are the best!!!

Yep! & yes clive, they certainly do tickle!
(can’t find smiley’s)