Bee swarm brings Bishopthorpe Road to standstill (From York Press)
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Bee swarm brings Bishopthorpe Road to standstill
7:47am Wednesday 3rd June 2009 in News
A CYCLIST got a “swarm” reception after leaving his bike outside shops in York.
The owner of the bike had been visiting shops in Bishopthorpe Road, but on returning, he found his seat swarming with bees, which showed no signs of leaving the busy shopping area.
Malton beekeeper Dave Smith arrived at the scene, in full protective clothing, to ensure the bees buzzed off safely to find another place to rest. Neil Robinson, manager of the nearby Inner Space Stations video store, was the one who called in the experts.
Neil said: “I noticed them flying around, then after about half-an-hour they just started coming down on to the bike seat. The queen had landed on the seat and the beekeeper was trying to get her into a box, but it wasn’t easy. He managed to get her and most of the other bees in, then he took them to another hive.”
Bryan Latham, secretary of Yorkshire Beekeeping Association, explained why the bees may have chosen to park themselves on the bike seat.
“When they swarm, it’s the old queen bee heading off with the flying bees. When the old hive is overcrowded, she will fly off and leave behind queen cells which will develop into a new queen, which will go out and mate and the whole process will start again.
“If the beekeeper hadn’t come they would have just flown off eventually anyway.”
* The mercury soared to its highest point all year as temperatures as York basked in the sun yesterday. Temperatures in the city rose to 25C (77F) at 3pm.
Comments(19)
Andrew's tea boy
says...
8:46am Wed 3 Jun 09
Gin Soaked Swimming Kims Biggest Piggy
says...
8:59am Wed 3 Jun 09
Also, I hardly think 3 people watching a Beekeeper constitutes a "standstill" (although it does for those 3 people. )
stinky chalky
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10:07am Wed 3 Jun 09
Soothsayer12.0
says...
10:28am Wed 3 Jun 09
Garrowby Turnoff
says...
10:55am Wed 3 Jun 09
Women!
brummie-ian
says...
12:03pm Wed 3 Jun 09
Soothsayer12.0 wrote:obviously why Rod Stewart was on the scene - in case an Old Queen Bee needed a new house.
Call Michael Caine!
Exiled1
says...
12:03pm Wed 3 Jun 09
Andrew's tea boy
says...
12:47pm Wed 3 Jun 09
Exiled1 wrote:I can see Bagpuss.
Is it just me or can anyone see Bagpuss in picture 1?
I am also pretty sure that next to her is my auntie with the sainos bag. I shall have to ask her.
stinky chalky
says...
12:55pm Wed 3 Jun 09
Mother of Hercules
says...
1:18pm Wed 3 Jun 09
stinky chalky wrote:In which case the woman would have a re-usable "bag for life" or Sainsbury's equivalent.
I do believe sincerely that Sainsbury's care for the environment and all living creatures and it would not suprise me if staff turned up to try and bag a few bees to take them to safety.
Wonder what was so attractive about that saddle?!
Andrew's tea boy
says...
1:26pm Wed 3 Jun 09
Mother of Hercules wrote:People should care for the environment more and use hessian re usable bags, to not do so is inexcusable.
stinky chalky wrote: I do believe sincerely that Sainsbury's care for the environment and all living creatures and it would not suprise me if staff turned up to try and bag a few bees to take them to safety.In which case the woman would have a re-usable "bag for life" or Sainsbury's equivalent. Wonder what was so attractive about that saddle?!
That particular saddle was probably quite appealing as it appears to be a Brooks sprung model, these takes ages to wear in but are very comfy in the long run.
Mother of Hercules
says...
1:31pm Wed 3 Jun 09
bumblebee.co.uk/pdfs
/Sainsburys_growers_
bring_back_bumblebee
Looks like Saino's are already a step ahead!!!
brummie-ian
says...
1:31pm Wed 3 Jun 09
ionary.com/define.ph
p?term=snudging
perhaps they were "snudging" the seat (see also Viz Prophanosaurus)
Mother of Hercules
says...
1:45pm Wed 3 Jun 09
brummie-ian wrote:Looks like a feller's bike to me... Hence the Queen Bee!!
http://www.urbandict ionary.com/define.ph p?term=snudging perhaps they were "snudging" the seat (see also Viz Prophanosaurus)
Andrew's tea boy
says...
1:49pm Wed 3 Jun 09
Mother of Hercules wrote:Known as ‘Operation Bumblebee', the three year project Sainsburys launched last Spring has already seen farmland buzzing with insect life one year on. The most significant sighting during the first year has been the return of the ‘Bombus Ruderatus', a rare bee species which has not been seen for 50 years.
http://www.operation bumblebee.co.uk/pdfs /Sainsburys_growers_ bring_back_bumblebee .pdf Looks like Saino's are already a step ahead!!!
Think this particular swarm was from the "stingin botom" species
Mother of Hercules
says...
2:03pm Wed 3 Jun 09
brummie-ian
says...
2:52pm Wed 3 Jun 09
Mother of Hercules wrote:back to Rod Stewart again ??
"Bombus Ruderatus" from the Latin meaning Bottom Dweller?
pedalling paul
says...
4:49pm Wed 3 Jun 09
stinky chalky wrote:Fortuitously not. After all, what would you all do without me....?
I hope it wasn't "pedalling Paul"
SELBY :-) says...
7:51am Wed 3 Jun 09