BOSTON (WHDH) - The city of Boston was buzzing Friday — not only with Celtics excitement, but also because a swarm of bees took over a crosswalk light downtown.
Around 15,000 bees followed their queen and congregated at the light at Essex and Chauncy streets. They buzzed around the intersection for hours.
A beekeeper called by the city managed to get the queen bee into a designated hive box, with the hope that the rest of the bees would follow her in. He also scooped some bees into the box with his hands.
Many passersby walked through the area Friday afternoon, oblivious to the fact that the insects were flying all over until they’d get within about 10 feet of the swarm.
“We were actually walking the other way and the [beekeeper] hadn’t gotten here yet and everyone was looking, and he’s just picking them all up now,” said Jim Walsh, who saw the bees. “It’s really cool.”
A 7News reporter was stung a few times while covering the event Friday afternoon.
The bee swarm did not affect traffic. The beekeeper said he thinks the bees ended up near around the crosswalk light due to Friday’s rainstorms. He said the swarm was probably traveling somewhere and found a place to take shelter from the rain when it started.
At 4 p.m., the insects were still buzzing around the crosswalk light, and at 9 p.m., only a few hundred remained. The beekeeper took the hive box away from the light and said he believes the bees left behind will not survive without the queen bee.
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