How to help a tired bee (without harming it)
The June Gap: A Tough Time for Bees
The June Gap is a real challenge for bees in the UK (and similar temperate climates). It refers to a lull in nectar and pollen availability between the abundance of spring flowers and the arrival of midsummer blooms.
Why It Happens:
Spring flowers (like dandelions, hawthorn, fruit blossom and early herbs) start fading.
Summer flowers (like lavender, clover, borage, bramble and wildflowers) haven’t fully arrived.
The weather is often dry in June, which can further reduce nectar flow.
Colonies are at their peak population, so demand is high just when supplies dip.
What It Means for Bees:
Foraging bees may struggle to find enough nectar or pollen.
Queens may reduce or stop laying eggs temporarily due to reduced food.
Weaker colonies can become vulnerable or stressed.
Imagine having a house full of hungry teenagers and finding out the shops are shut till July…!
🐝😓When You Spot a Struggling Bee
During this lean period, you might notice more bees resting on paths, window ledges, or flower pots - moving slowly or looking dazed. If you find one looking worse for wear, it’s natural to want to help. These bees aren’t necessarily dying - they may just be depleted and in need of rest or a quick energy boost.
But not all ‘help’ helps…..
❌ Please Don’t Feed Bees Honey - Even the Raw, Local Kind
A tired bee can tug at the heartstrings and many people reach instinctively for honey, thinking it’s the most natural thing to offer. It’s one of the most well-meaning mistakes people make and we’ve all seen it shared online but:
Here’s why it’s risky:
Honey can carry deadly diseases like American Foulbrood (AFB) – a notifiable disease in the UK.
AFB spores are incredibly tough - they can survive for decades and just a tiny trace in contaminated honey can infect and destroy entire hives.
Supermarket honey, raw honey, organic honey and even your local farm shop honey can all pose this risk.
Honey is also not the same as nectar - it’s concentrated, enzyme-rich and processed by bees.
Cross-species stress: Wild bumblebees and solitary bees aren’t adapted to honey. It can upset their digestive systems or attract ants and wasps, exposing the bee to further danger.
Misplaced kindness: Feeding a single exhausted bee is different from regularly leaving out honey-based “bee food,” which can disrupt natural behaviour or lead bees away from proper forage.
💬 “But it’s local! Surely that’s okay?”
Even honey produced nearby can harbour undetected disease spores. Unless you know the exact source and health of the hive, it’s safest to avoid it altogether.
🛡️The Safe Way to Help a Tired Bee
If you encounter a fatigued bee:
Prepare a Sugar Solution: Mix two parts white granulated sugar with one part water.
Offer the Solution: Place a few drops on a spoon or a flower near the bee. Do not pour or spray the solution directly onto the bee.
Provide Shelter: If possible, move the bee to a warm, sheltered spot to rest.
This small act of care could be just what the bee needs to recover and carry on pollinating.
🚫 Why You Shouldn’t Spray Sugar Water on Bees
Some well-meaning posts online suggest spraying tired bees with sugar water but this does more harm than good.
Here’s why it’s a bad idea:
It can chill or drown the bee: If the bee is already cold or struggling, coating it in liquid can make it worse, not better.
It interferes with grooming and flight: Bees need their wings and body to stay dry. A sticky sugar mist can prevent them from flying or cleaning themselves properly.
It attracts ants, wasps, or other bees: A sugar-covered bee becomes a moving target and could be attacked while trying to recover.
It spreads pathogens: Shared sugar sources can act as a vector for disease - especially if applied indiscriminately.
Sometimes, doing nothing is best.
Rest and warmth are often all a tired bee needs.
💧 Create a Bee-Friendly Water Station
Bees also need water, especially during dry spells. You can help by setting up a bee water station in your garden or near pots on a sunny wall. This is different from sugar water - it’s just fresh water with places to land. 🎯 Top Tip - keep the stones partly submerged, not bone dry or floating - bees need something to land on and sip from without the risk of drowning.
Here’s how:
Use a shallow dish filled with clean water, this can be anything and any size - recycle an old dish from the kitchen or from a charity shop.
Add pebbles, corks, or marbles so bees (and butterflies!) have safe landing spots.
Place it somewhere sheltered but accessible, near flowers if possible.
Change the water regularly to keep it fresh.
Without landing spots, bees can easily slip and drown - especially when they’re weak. Your watering station becomes a much-needed pit stop for thirsty pollinators and other winged visitors too. You will be amazed just how many bees you will see drinking and resting during their day and I am looking forward to seeing butterflies and dragonflies etc The pictures below show a watering station I made using a garden planter, which is probably a bit on the larger side to be honest; I then placed this onto an upturned tub.
Should a Bee Water Station Be Raised?
✅ Yes – raised is generally better.
Think of it like a bee-safe version of a bird bath:
Avoids ground-level risks: Reduces the chance of ants, slugs, or small mammals getting in (or contaminating the water).
Keeps water cleaner for longer: Less soil and leaf litter.
Safer access for bees: Some bees will land on the rim and walk down to the stones - being off the ground helps avoid confusion or obstacles.
Helps visibility: Bees are drawn to light and reflection - having it slightly elevated can help them spot it, adding marbles also helps with this!
⬆️ How to Raise It (Simple Ideas):
An upturned plant pot (terracotta on terracotta looks lovely and blends into the garden)
A few bricks or flat stones stacked securely
A wooden crate or log stump
The key is stability - you want it steady and easy for bees to reach, but not wobbly if bumped or in the wind.
🌸 Plant Bee-Friendly Flowers
To support bees during the June Gap and beyond, plant a variety of nectar-rich flowers that bloom at different times. Good choices include:
Lavender
Borage
Catmint
Comfrey
Herbs like thyme and chives
Foxglove
Salvia
Flowers with open faces are best - look for single blooms, not doubles.
🌼 Why Single Blooms Are Better Than Double Blooms for Bees
It’s all about access to nectar and pollen.
Single blooms (like a classic daisy, echinacea, or calendula) have exposed centers where the pollen and nectar are easy for bees to reach.
Double blooms (often bred for looks) can:
Block access to the central part of the flower
Or produce little to no nectar or pollen at all
They might look pretty but for bees, it’s like arriving at a pub that’s run out of beer - which is almost worse than the no food for the teens scenario!
📣 Spread the Word
Educating others about how to properly support bees makes a real difference. Share this with friends, family, or your local group chat - especially during the June Gap when bees are most in need of a boost.
With small, thoughtful actions, we can each do our bit to support these incredible little workers.
PS: No fancy gear needed - just a saucer, some stones and a little kindness.🖤
Karen x
