A huge swarm of around 15,000 bees was removed from a parked car in New Mexico by an off-duty firefighter on March 28. A man returning to his car from a grocery store spotted a massive swarm that had entered his car through an open window, moments before he was about to drive off, states the Fire Department.
The Las Cruces Fire Department responded to reports of a swarm of bees in a car at an Albertson’s grocery store at around 4 pm on Sunday, they shared on Facebook along with pictures of the operation. The post gave details of the incident sharing the bees were safely relocated by off-duty firefighter Jesse Johnson who works as a beekeeper in his spare time.
The area around the car was blocked off to ensure safety of other shoppers. Johnson arrived at the scene with “proper tools for the trade- a hive kit, lemongrass oil, gloves and proper attire” to lure the 15,000 bees out from the car and safely relocate them to Johnson’s property, located outside of city limits.
It took almost two hours for firefighters to remove and relocate the bees while one person, a security guard at Albertson’s, was stung but no major injuries were reported.
The post concludes stating that Las Cruces Fire Department does not regularly remove bee swarms but firefighters removed and relocated the bees to mitigate the mid-afternoon hazard the large swam presented in a relatively high-traffic area.
The act of bravery was met with applause and praise by the locals, appreciating Johnson’s efforts. Several people thanked him for “great job” and safely relocating the bees. Some wondered how so many bees could get in a car while shopping. Facebook has been shared for almost 100 times with tons of reactions and comments from users.
It is still unknown where the bees came from and why they chose that particular car and how the drive requested help from the fire department.