A swarm of bees had a Vancouver Island neighbourhood buzzing Monday, after as many as 20,000 of the insects clustered outside a suburban home.
Elaine Gibb found the swarm buzzing around her station wagon when she walked outside her Saanich, B.C. home shortly after she woke up.
"I wasn't too afraid. I don't like getting stung, but I've always thought if you don't sort of antagonize them they'll sort of just fly around," she said.
After some time, the swarm moved from the vehicle to a tall tree across the street.
In Pictures: Quite the buzz
Beekeeper Dave Bird, who came to remove the bees, said the swarming behaviour is very typical in the springtime.
"They produce new queens and then the old queen flies away in a swarm and she takes 60 per cent of her hive with her," he said.
Suited in head-to-toe protective gear, Bird climbed the tree and used a box called a "nuke" to try to knock the hive down.
It took several tries, but he managed to remove the massive hive. Amazingly, he was only stung twice on the hands.
Another beekeeper helped Bird to shake the remaining insects loose.
Meanwhile, Gibb said this Victoria Day is one she won't soon forget.
"I'm glad the bees got caught though. I'd like them to live somewhere else," she said.
With a report from CTV British Columbia's Brent Shearer
