The scene has something to surprise and scare apiphobes. In Le Havre, in Normandy, a local resident discovered the back of his vehicle covered in several thousand bees. A rare phenomenon in spring ? Not really !
It is not one, but more than 15,000 bees that have found refuge in this Normandy car. While this phenomenon is impressive, it is far from exceptional.
Indeed, in a hive, when one queen becomes less productive, the bees start raising others so that one of them (the most resistant) takes over. When the latter is “elected”, the former must leave the hive. Part of the colony follows it in search of a new habitat. During this short trip it is therefore not uncommon for the swarm to land on a tree, the facade of a house or a car. Here’s what happened to this neighbor:
This phenomenon is also related to the reproduction of the bee which takes place from May to June. This is what beekeeper Brice Carron explains on his Facebook page:
“Yesterday a swarm of bees landed on a car in the middle of the street in Le Havre. This can happen anywhere in May and June, it is indeed the breeding season for bees. This phenomenon remains normal and natural, call on a beekeeper to catch the swarm and give the bees a habitat worthy of the name.”
But rest assured, these bees are rarely offensive and won’t stay in one place for more than a day. If you’re concerned about pollinating insects invading, don’t panic and don’t try to chase the swarm away on your own. Contact the beekeeper closest to your home.