Sleeping bee

[Ryleh]

Basically looking for a bit of advice.

With it being the end of the main growing season I decided it was time to cover up the beds on my allotment that I wasn't planning to grow things on over winter. So I headed into my shed and pulled out a roll of cardboard which I began to unroll over the top of one of the beds only to discover to my surprise what appears to be a bee sleeping in the roll of cardboard.

Has anyone heard of this before?

I've heard of queen bees digging themselves into soil to hibernate for the winter as I'd read up a bit before when looking for things I could go to make the environment more bee friendly.

This happened yesterday evening. I gently rolled the cardboard back up and put it back in the corner of the shed. From my limited knowledge and a couple of pictures I found on the Internet it does have the same body shape as a queen.

Any suggestions on what I should do to help it survive?

[skeggijon]

Yes, they're looking for winter hotels at this time of year and rolled up cardboard is perfect for them.
I built a bee hotel last year similar to this Build your own bee hotel in eight easy steps | OPAL

[Jungle Jane]

You have helped it,by putting it back in the shed. They know the best places to go.
Also having a water source nearby for when they awake is good.

[vixylix]

Sorry, totally daft question BUT how do you know its asleep and not you know, permanently asleep? I only ask as we tried to rescue a bee earlier in the year and it was not doing anything

[skeggijon]

If its upside down with its legs in the air, then it's probably an ex bee

[Ryleh]

The one I found its thorax was moving ever so slightly. If it was a human I'd have described it as its chest moving up and down slightly.

Bit more research I think then. I'd like to give it the best chance I can of surviving the winter and waking up to go about its business in the spring.

[Bonsai Si]

If its upside down with its legs in the air, then it's probably an ex bee

bwahahaha =]