I’ve disturbed a hibernating bumblebee, what do I do?

Queen bumblebees hibernate over winter to survive the hungry gap when there are no flowering plants. In spring they will wake up, find a good nesting spot and raise the next generation of bumblebees. However, before that happens, people often find hibernating bumblebees in late winter or early spring when they begin to work in their gardens again.

The most common places to find hibernating bumblebees are in loose soil, banks of earth and sometimes in flowerpots. Uncovering them can wake them up a little bit, and make them move or buzz. If the bumblebee isn’t too active, you can just cover it up again using the material that it has been hibernating in. Make sure to keep the material quite loose, so she can dig her way out when it is time to do so.

If the bee remains very active and won’t go back into hibernation, you can help her on her way by leaving her in a sheltered place to rest, such as under some leaf-litter. Please do not take and keep the bumblebee indoors, as they have to be outside to complete their lifecycle.