Mystery over huge swarm of bees in UK town centre as shoppers watch on in horror

A TOWN centre was brought to a standstill after thousands of bees mysteriously swarmed a busy high street. Shoppers in Guildford, Surrey, were left stunned as clouds of the striped insects filled the air, buzzing loudly through the middle of the street. A swarm of bees on a bike seat in Guildford, Surrey Credit: Facebook The bees were seen strangely clustering around bicycles Credit: Facebook Dozens of onlookers pulled out their mobile phones to capture photos and videos of the extraordinary scene unfolding in the sunny weather. Footage posted on Facebook showed the bees grouping together on objects on the street as people watched on mystified. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! One large mass of bees completely covered a bike’s seat, while another thick group gathered right across the handlebars. The sudden phenomenon saw some curious residents get close enough to see each individual insect as they huddled together. Other bystanders, who were clearly more fearful of getting stung, were spotted keeping their distance. Pedestrians filmed on their phones as the bicycle became entirely hidden beneath the thousands of swarming insects. A beekeeper dressed in a full orange protective suit was then seen on footage arriving on the scene to handle the situation. The expert successfully and safely gathered the stray colony into a box before they were safely transported away. Most read in The Sun Curious locals watching on Credit: Facebook A beekeeper dressed in orange was then seen taking charge Credit: Facebook Beekeeper Charlie Cooke said that that the phenomenon was known as a “swarm” and that worker bees leading a queen were likely “looking for a new home”. The apiarist told The Sun: “They tend to swarm as a form of reproduction in spring. “However, at this time it’s either overcrowding or a food source thing, I’d guess the latter. “They find temporary landing spots on their way, in the wild usually tree branches but in this case a bike seat, to rest on while scout bees go to find a permanent home. “They’ve likely moved because the food supply – nectar and flowers – where they were before has declined, possibly linked to the heatwaves. “They’ll try and find somewhere more permanent to then house their queen.” Experts say that while swarms can appear intimidating in crowded public spaces, they are generally harmless if left undisturbed. Before settling permanently, swarms often temporarily settle while scout bees search for a suitable location. During this move, the swarm often stops on the first elevated object since the queen bee can only travel short distances. Insects are focused on relocating their colony and are far less interested in attacking people, according to experts. It comes after tourists fled from a swarm of bees after they descended on a popular beach. Footage shows the insects gathered on a single parasol as beachgoers scramble in the background. Eyewitnesses said a low-flying cloud of bees suddenly appeared over the shores of Italy’s Adriatic Riviera. Comment now