Swarm of bees found in Essex tree

ESSEX, Mass. -- A swarm of bees were found in an old tree that had been cut down in Essex.

“Bees exploded out of the trunk of the tree. The gentlemen that were working on it headed for the hills, dropped the rope, dropped everything and got out at dodge,” said Peter Wonson from General Environmental Services.

Wonson and his crew then went in to catch the honeybees.

First they sprayed smoke to sooth the honeybees nerves, then they used a gentle vacuum to suck up the swarm. Once they had the queen, the workers quickly followed.

“They were in a bit of shock because their house had just come falling down, so they were trying to figure out what had happened,” said Wonson.

The bees began to get a little aggressive, and police arrived to make sure they didn’t sting anyone.

“It’s the last thing we would want on a gorgeous day like we had yesterday, is to have somebody get stung” said Essex Police Chief Peter Silva.

A mature hive can hold up to 80,000 bees.

The bees are now on a farm in hopes that they will create a new hive, and honey.

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