A local beekeeper wants people to know there is more than one way to take the sting out of a swarm of bees.
During the morning of Thursday, May 30, thousands of honeybees lay dying on the pavement along Derby Street in Vankleek Hill. Beekeeper Russell Gibbs of Gibbs Honey said based on the behaviour of the dying bees, the swarm had been sprayed or covered with a pesticide powder.
Gibbs suspected the swarm had taken up residence in nearby trees and was possibly causing concern to people living close by.
“They didn’t just appear out of nowhere,” he said.
Whenever people encounter a swarm of honeybees in or near their home that causes concern for safety, they should call a beekeeper to come and contain the swarm and remove it.
“There’s other options than spraying them,” Gibbs said.
Having bees removed by a beekeeper reduces the loss of the vital pollinating insects and is an environmentally friendly alternative to pesticide use.
Gibbs said a swarm of bees was also seen traveling down Main Street in Vankleek Hill on Wednesday, May 29.
Submitted photos
