You have a bee revival kit. Here is how to use it and get the best results when you find a tired bee.
What is in your kit
Your bee revival keyring is small and refillable. Inside is a vial of bee-safe syrup and a set of instructions. The syrup is made to a recipe that suits every bee species found in the UK. New to it all? Here is the bee revival kit explained.
How to use your kit, step by step
- Spot a bee that has sat still for ten minutes or more with no flowers nearby.
- Move the bee to safety with a leaf or card, away from ants and foot traffic.
- Try a flower first. A bloom is always the best food.
- If there are no flowers, open the vial and place one small drop on a clean surface near the bee’s head.
- Step back and give it time. Recovery takes five to twenty minutes, so do not hover.
For the home mix instead, here is how to save a bee with sugar water.
What not to do
- Do not tip the vial straight onto the bee.
- Do not try to force the bee to drink.
- Do not move a bee that is already feeding on a flower.
Storing your kit
Keep your kit away from direct heat and sunlight. Check the syrup colour at the start of spring. Clear syrup is good to go. Cloudy or dark syrup needs replacing. Read more on how long the syrup lasts.
When to refill
Top up your kit at least once a year, or sooner after a busy summer. Our refill bottle fills the keyring several times over. See how to refill a bee revival kit for the full method.
When the kit cannot help
Not every bee can be saved. If a bee does not recover after a long rest and a feed, move it to a sheltered spot off the ground. For the full method, see what to do if a bee doesn’t respond.