Helping a bee with deformed wing virus

Jun 10, 2025 4:57 PM

vbloke

Views

57582

Likes

320

Dislikes

8

Found her on the ground, so I picked her up. That’s when I saw her wings weren’t formed properly. Decided to take her home and look after her.

Here she is in her wildflower bee terrarium with a damp moss watering station. She was having a nap here.

She really enjoyed climbing onto the cornflowers for a feed.

What a gorgeous little creature.

Nom nom nom

Nectary goodness.

She crawled onto my hand again and I held her out in the sunshine where she started to have a really thorough clean and preen ❤️

bumblebees

Warms my heart to see this.

1 year ago | Likes 33 Dislikes 0

Bees dance to communicate - she's telling you how much she appreciates you, you friendly giant who brings food and comfort...

1 year ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

Deformed wing. That shit looks like it got burned to crisp

1 year ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

1 year ago | Likes 15 Dislikes 0

I think she's twerkin for you **thank you for the mf'n flowers** lol

1 year ago | Likes 79 Dislikes 0

That’s so very kind

1 year ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Is that, like, half a bee?? Bet I can guess what his name is.

1 year ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

A-laa dee dee, a-one two three

1 year ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Bee strong little bugger

1 year ago | Likes 18 Dislikes 0

Bees are frands

1 year ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

She's adorable (I love bumbles) & you're fantastic for taking care of her, I hope you have a truly fantastic day

1 year ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

Stumble bees are the best.

1 year ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Does she not have a stinger? I thought all bees had one and they die without it

1 year ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

They can and do sting - I have been stung several times over the many years I’ve been helping bees, but you really have to annoy them for them to sting you. 99 times out of 100 you’ll get a leg raise (back off), but that’s all.

They are basically tiny drunk pandas.

1 year ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Bumbles are insanely docile. I've scooped them up before when they get into the garage or house and just gently rehome them back outside. Most bees won't sting out of spite and will only do so when threatened.

1 year ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

They only sting when you accidentally squish em when you panic. Wasps will sting you because they're territorial.

1 year ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

But not all of them. Paper wasps are far more tolerant than some other species. You basically have to touch them for them to sting.

1 year ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Yup, and honey bees seem to be somewhere in the middle but pretty nice too as long as you stay out of their way (like a DMV worker). I was THRILLED that this year we have honey and bumble bees in the backyard instead of wasps, yellow jackets, and hornets. The bees are both homies and nice.

1 year ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Wasps serve a valuable ecological niche, but are terrible neighbors.

1 year ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

I am fine with them doing that. But not being able to go outside anywhere in our front or back yard (and it’s a big yard) because they flagged for PvP was a big issue. I give heck all if they leave me alone. They used to. But last couple of years they were aggro af swarmed my elderly dad just for sitting on the patio (even though their nest was super far away). So I did more aggressive wasp mitigation this year. Hoping next year it will be a good equilibrium between them and bees again.

1 year ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Hornets are cool, though. They are usually chiller than other wasps and even deter the smaller species. (Or eat them.)

1 year ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

The only part of this that makes me sad is that the poor lil bumbler won't be able to get back to her hive :<

1 year ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Wouldn't it be cool is she started her own xD but i guess queens finding a hive location time is over.

1 year ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Bumblebees don't have hives.

1 year ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

They have colonies, though. At least some species have.
The fertilized queen finds a nest site, lays eggs, workers hatch, those gather food, then males and new queens are hatched and fed, mate, and the queens overwinter. All others die.

https://bumblebee.org/lifecycle.htm

1 year ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I NEVER KNEW THAT, I AM SO MUCH LESS SAD NOW THANK YOU

1 year ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

thank you :')

1 year ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0