Shoppers avoid swarm of bees

7:00am Friday 4th May 2007

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A SWARM of bees caused problems for shoppers as the insects desperately sought out a new home for themselves and their queen on the roof of the framing shop in the Lower High Street this week.

Unlike wasps, bees in this condition are not considered at all dangerous and can easily be handled by experienced beekeepers - although not when on top of a roof!

Inside the shop below a number of bees investigated whether the premises were a suitable home for their new colony and had to be shown the door by shop assistant Clive Woodley.

"We also had a number of people who came in and asked whether I knew we had a swarm of bees on the roof," said Clive.

They were still homeless the next morning having spent a night on the tiles.

Like flowers that have bloomed earlier than ever this year, insects may also have been deceived by the weather as swarms usually occur slightly later in the month.

In days gone by early seasons' swarms were cherished as the finder could collect the bees and expect the colony to flourish and produce a bounty of honey by September.