'Bees everywhere': Swarm disrupts pedestrians on main Auckland street

Queen St has a new monarch, with a swarm of bees prompting pedestrians to be redirected from part of central Auckland’s Queen St this afternoon. 

The insects were reported on one of the street’s busiest intersections on the corner of Queen St and Wellesley St West, opposite The Civic. 

The large swarm covered a direction signboard, with thousands of bees in the area. 

Auckland Council Head of Compliance Adrian Wilson said a council compliance warden had reported the swarm to the Auckland Beekeepers Club. 

“We currently have four wardens on site redirecting foot traffic,” Wilson said. 

One witness told the Herald a security guard asked people not to walk on one side of the street and instead move across to the opposite footpath. 

“I was like, ‘Well, why? I can’t see anything dangerous’,” the witness said. 

After crossing the road, the witness said there were “bees everywhere” and described the scene as looking as though the insects were attempting to establish a hive. 

The witness said the incident was “quite exciting, to be honest”. 

Auckland Beekeepers Club swarm coordinator Bryan Lang said spring, from September to December, was the peak swarming season in Auckland. 

Lang said several buildings in Auckland’s CBD have rooftop hives maintained by beekeeping company Bees Up Top. 

“An existing hive gets too full and there’s no room for the queen to lay,” Lang said. 

The existing queen then leaves with a large portion of the colony to search for a new home, while a new queen emerges and takes over the original hive, he said. 

Despite their intimidating appearance, Lang said swarms are generally not dangerous because the bees are focused on relocation rather than defending a hive. 

“They’re just solely concerned with finding that new home,” Lang said. 

“The only way they would sting you is if you put your hand on one or stood on one.” 

Lang said an Auckland Beekeepers Club member was on the way to collect the swarm and relocate it. 

“He’ll scoop them into a box. And as long as the queen has gone into that box, the rest of the bees will follow in.”