I found this bee, drowning in the water in the reflection pool in the garden. Using a dandelion leaf I fished her out and placed her on the side to dry out.
She was soaking wet and at first couldn't move her wings. Then she managed to get one working, and finally the other one. However, I think the surface tension of the water prevented her from actually taking off. As I watched her struggles I noticed that she had a passenger ! It was a small mite. It must have been disturbed by the water and was crawling over her back. I got a very fine twig and tried to flick the mite off her, but she had other ideas, and she grabbed the twig, and as I lifted it up into the air, she finally managed to take flight. Still very wet and with her hitchhiker, she wasn't flying very fast but she was airborne.
Incase you haven't found the mite, it is the lighter coloured round bit just in front of her wing.
Plus you have got a bonus, photobombing fly too !
j