Sorry if this doesn't belong there, but.. what do I do with a bumblebee without wings?

Crocodylidae

Arachnosquire
Joined
Nov 29, 2019
Messages
112
Approximately two days ago, in our garden, I noticed a bumblebee walking on the grass. A few minutes passed, and he just kept walking in the same spot. My dad told me he might have seen the same one walking a few hours ago already. I went to see him and he had no wings (just two tiny things where the wings are supposed to be), two of his legs look weird, there is a lack of fur on his abdomen which make him appear a bit smaller but it does appear to be a bumblebee.

So, I took him inside of the house, tried to cut some flowers for him + made sugar water for him. At first, he didn't want anything to do with it, and just kept on walking. He looks like he struggles a bit while walking, he doesn't have a strong grip and sometimes fall over on his back (but manage to put himself back up). Yesterday, he finally drank a bit of the sugar water, and today as well, but still in very small quantities - I don't really know if it's ok or not, I don't know how much should bumblebees drink and feed (and because I'm afraid of him drowning, I just soak a cotton ball in the water and give it to him like this).

I don't know if I'm supposed to release him or not. It feels wrong keeping it, but I don't know if it can survive outside on his own?

In our garden and surroundings, there is barely any flowers, and in the surroundings, there is a few roses but they are all pretty tall, so to go on them, the bumblebee would either need some good climbing skills or the ability to fly.. which it both lacks. My dad told me there was a bumblebee nest in the ground in our garden, they saw the queen and everything - should I just put him in there? Is there any food for him he could find there, and could the other bumblebees kill it or something? Also, I don't know how to tell if it's sick, old, or just injured.

Currently, he is kept in a long terrarium (one that is marketed to be a temporary place for snakes), but he still always stay on the sides of the terrarium and try to climb up. I put substrate in the terrarium, sticks, a wood plank, and I try to keep at least one flower in there though he doesn't appear to care. I feel bad keeping it enclosed, but I don't know what to do with it? I don't even know what bumblebees eat exactly. Is it possible to give them fruits, or is it bad for them?


I also think this might be a male, because he got a yellow patch on his face, I haven't checked the legs yet

Thanks in advance, sorry for the stupid question!
 
Last edited:

Tentacle Toast

Arachnobaron
Arachnosupporter +
Joined
Jul 6, 2016
Messages
595
Not a stupid question, & I hope you get an answer. The only thing I know about the situation is that you seem to have a heart of gold. Good luck, friend.
 
Top