- Bees landed on discount sign on window of Topshop in London's Victoria
- Comes as student in Southsea found his Nissan Micra covered in bees too
- Experts say it's common for bees to set up new hives this time of year
- Attraction to ultraviolet colours could be why they decided to land
This is
the moment a 5,000-strong swarm of honeybees caused a buzz by nesting on
a shop front in the middle of central London - and surrounded a
passerby.
The
bees honed in on a discount sign on the window of Topshop in Victoria
Street, turning the fashion store display into a carpet of insects.
One
woman was caught up in the swarm and was photographed desperately
battling to avoid being stung as she walked along the street.
A woman is surrounded by 5,000 bees which caused
a buzz by nesting on a discount sign on the window of Topshop in
Victoria Street, London this morning
A swarm of 5,000-strong honeybees that have been
attracted to a discount sign on the window of Topshop in Victoria
Street, central London, today
Meanwhile, in Southsea student George Heal, 21, was shocked to find his Nissan Micra, parked outside his home, covered in a swarm of 20,000 bees.
Experts said it's common for honeybees to swarm around and set up new hives at this time of year.
The marine biology student said: 'One of my housemates pointed my car out to me and it was just surrounded by bees.
'It’s not something you see every day. I believe they are all gone now but I will definitely be checking the car before I get in it.'
The
unusual nesting places for the bees are picked by the Queen bee, who
lands there first and are quickly followed by her devoted colony.
Honeybees eyes
are more sensitive to ultraviolet colours, which Gill Maclean from the
British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) says could be why they were attracted to
the green sign and the car.
'It
is in their nature to look for bright flowers and colours. Also when
they swarm they generally hang from the branch of a tree so it is a
possibility they could be attracted to the green for that reason.'
Scores of Londoners stopped to take photographs of the unusual sight outside Topshop, in the heart of busy central London.
Tony
Mann, a project manager at nearby John Lewis and a trained bee keeper,
dashed over to the shop to help lead efforts to smoke the European
honeybee colony out.
Scores of passersby stopped to photograph the bees as they landed on the Topshop sign in Victoria Street
Tony Mann, a project manager at nearby
John Lewis and a trained bee keeper, dashed over to the shop to help
lead efforts to smoke the European honeybee colony out
Mr
Mann, who donned a white bee keeping costume and netted hat for the
tricky task, said: 'We have either had a virgin Queen or an old Queen,
she has left the nest and she has brought the warm and settled on the
shop front.'
WHY ARE BEE NUMBERS DECLINING
Honeybees have been providing humans with honey for centuries and play an important role in the pollination process.
But in recent years the species has come under threat and beekeepers have seen the numbers dwindle.
It has been estimated that the number of British honeybees has halved over the last 25 years and scientists claim there are only enough to properly pollinate a quarter of the country’s crops.
Experts have warned that the collapse of bee colonies could trigger a farming crisis, but why populations are being hit so hard has remained largely a mystery.
It is thought populations could have plummeted as the insect’s meadowland habitats were concreted over and their wildflower food supply killed by herbicides.
A recent study by the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has added weight to the theory that even low doses of an insecticide have an adverse effect on hives.
But in recent years the species has come under threat and beekeepers have seen the numbers dwindle.
It has been estimated that the number of British honeybees has halved over the last 25 years and scientists claim there are only enough to properly pollinate a quarter of the country’s crops.
Experts have warned that the collapse of bee colonies could trigger a farming crisis, but why populations are being hit so hard has remained largely a mystery.
It is thought populations could have plummeted as the insect’s meadowland habitats were concreted over and their wildflower food supply killed by herbicides.
A recent study by the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has added weight to the theory that even low doses of an insecticide have an adverse effect on hives.
He said some of the bees were flying around the area 'like scouts to try to find out where the next best place to go is'.
The
colony was later safely moved across the road to Westminster Cathedral,
where it will be looked after by beekeepers on top of the Catholic
church's roof.
It is not known where the bees originally came from, but a string of shops in the local area do have their own hives.
David
Beamont, operations manager at the Victoria Business Improvement
District (BID), which manages the interests of businesses in the area,
said trained keepers arrived quickly on the scene to deal with the
situation.
He
said: 'In Victoria there are over a dozen experienced beekeepers who
have all been on an intense training course that focuses on the theory
and practical training of urban beekeeping, successfully managing hives
for nearly two years.
'Local
beekeepers were able to respond swiftly to manage the swarm, collect
them in a mobile hive and move them to a suitable location. Our
ambassadors were also on site to reassure members of the public that the
bees were not distressed.'
Ruth Duston, CEO of Victoria BID, said local businesses kept bees to boost the area's biodiversity.
She said: 'With a falling national bee population, the bees in Victoria play a key role in showing that London is a healthy, liveable city.'
She said: 'With a falling national bee population, the bees in Victoria play a key role in showing that London is a healthy, liveable city.'
A swarm of 2,000 bees covered George Heal's Nissan Micra in Southsea
The angry swarm of bees which took up residence in a Nissan Micra were collected using a basket
Beekeeper Graham Cook rounds up the colony of bees that made George Heal's car their new home
Mrs Maclean, from BBKA, said: ‘They are doing
what honey bees do naturally and are not remotely interested in humans.
'In
fact before leaving their hive the bees fill up their stomachs with
honey and are rather mellow; their sole intention is to find a new home
to build-up a new colony.
'As
long as the swarm is not provoked it will not do any harm but it is
important that the bees are collected by an experienced beekeeper.
'If left
to their own devices they may choose to set up home in the nearest
convenient spot which could be a chimney or other inaccessible place.'
The 20,000 angry bees swarmed the car in Southsea on Thursday
George Heal, 21, (left) a student at Portsmouth University found the bees settled in his car (right)
She added that in central London people often keep bees on rooftops: 'The urban scene is not necessarily a paradise for bees.
'A
very high percentage of the urban area is barren bricks and mortar,
concrete and tarmac and many grassy open spaces offer little of interest
to bees, so forage is limited and consequently the number of hives that
can be sustained limited too,' she said.
'Another
key factor when keeping bees in towns and cities is the siting of hives
and their management to ensure that there is minimal nuisance to
neighbours and the general public.
'Proper
training in beekeeping skills is vital to be able to assess suitability
of apiary sites and to be able to manage colonies to minimise swarming
and the likelihood for stinging events involving the public.'
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