Most of us appreciate the natural world around us — from flowers and trees to mountains and oceans — and we also understand that the outdoor world is hugely important to our everyday lives.
In the past few years, people have become more attuned to the fact that bees, some of the smallest creatures on our planet, are essential to our ecosystem.
That being said, they can still be annoying, especially if they make their way into your home or swarm outside your house.
In Halifax, the UK, hundreds of bees swarmed on someone's driveway. While some people would be terrified of all the stinging creatures, these folks knew that they shouldn't try to get rid of the bees on their own.
Instead, they called their local beekeeper, who immediately responded to the scene to help remove the bees safely.
Not only did the beekeeper help clear driveway, he did it while keeping the bees safe.
[H/T: Georgetown County, S.C.]
Helen Bradley, who called the beekeeper, shared the story of what happened on her Facebook, where it went viral.
Within just a few weeks, the post had over 98,000 reactions and over 55,000 shares.
Helen wrote:
We found a honey bee swarm on someone’s driveway yesterday, so we rang a local beekeeper who’s [sic] number appeared on our local beekeeping association website.
He came out immediately and safely moved them. He has spare hives so hopefully they will be settling into their new home today.
He was very grateful for the phone call as all too often people kill them with pesticides, boiling water or even petrol rather than wanting to help them find a new home.
He thought that another queen may taken over their hive and usurped this queen, or that their hive had been disturbed.
They settled on this drive as there was some chocolate on the ground that they were drawn too [sic].
It was fascinating to watch how they all climbed into the basket which had a small piece of honeycomb inside to attract them.
According to Perfect Bee, bees swarm when they need more space for their colony.
"When bees swarm, a single colony becomes two," they write.
When bees decide to swarm, they leave the hive and move to an interim location — like a tree, bicycle, or even a driveway.
While at this interim location, scout bees will go find a new final location. Eventually, the swarm will fly to their new home and start life there.
It's important to know that swarming bees are not looking to attack people — they're more focused on finding a new home.
That being said, you shouldn't try to capture a swarm on your own, because if they feel threatened they may sting.
The best thing to do if you come across a swarm is exactly what Helen did — contact your local beekeeper!
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